The perils of reading

[michelel72]

I acquire language by reading rather than by hearing. I am in fact notoriously bad at distinguishing spoken sounds.

But building one's vocabulary by sight has its perils. I did not know until fifteen minutes ago, for example, that ague is not pronounced as if it is simply a beheaded plague.

Fortunately it's not a word I have occasion to speak very ever. I'd rather announce that I've been wrong about something than be corrected (or be silently thought clueless) ....

Comments

[introverte.livejournal.com]

I grew up thinking that "hearth" was pronounced with a long e sound. I went so far as to correct someone once.

[ninjamonkey73.livejournal.com]

And I didn't know that the word I use often to verbally denote transitioning and pronounced "segwey", was in fact the same word I read as "seg-you". I, unfortunately found out by arguing with someone.

Damn you, segue!