You say, "tah-MAY-toe." I say, "tah-MAH-toe."

That's what many debates over pronunciation boil down to: personal taste. You like boiled tomatoes; I don't. You go via VY-uh, and I go via VEE-uh. You believe in a KREE-doh, and I believe in a KRAY-doh. You climb the ap-uh-LAY-chin mountains, and I climb the ap-uh-LACH-in Mountains. In each case, both pronunciations are standard.

But on some words, by golly, we have to abandon this squishy tomato attitude and take a stand! Call me judgmental, or just call me mental. Some pronunciations are simply dad-blamed wrong! And, yes, some of us CAN blame our dads for instilling some of these faulty pronunciations in us as kids.

Can you select the correct pronunciation of each word?

No. 1: mischievous: a) mis-chee-vee-ahs b) mis-chah-vahs

No. 2: nuptials: a) nup-tyoo-als b) nup-shahls

No. 3: envelope: a) en-vuh-lope b) ahn-vuh-lope

No. 4: nuclear: a) noo-klee-ahr b) noo-kyoo-lahr

No. 5: moot: a) mute b) moot

No. 6: fracas: a) fray-kis b) frack-is

No. 7: divisive: a) di-vy-siv b) di-vis-iv

No. 8: repercussion: a) ree-pur-kuhsh-in b) rep-ur-kuhsh-in

Answers:

No. 1: b) mis-chah-vahs Yes, I know the pronunciation "mis-cheev-vee-ahs" dates to the 1500s and was even used by that very mischievous president Herbert Hoover. But saying "mis-cheev-vee-ahs" today makes you sound like a pirate. Force "mis-cheev-vee-ahs" to walk the plank.

No. 2: b) nup-shahls Even fancy, society types sometimes refer to upcoming "nup-tyoo-als." Instead, say "I do" to "nup-shahl," and you'll enjoy "nuptial" bliss.

No. 3: a) en-vuh-lope Like "envoy" and "enclave," "envelope" is borrowed from French, where the first syllables of their French equivalents are pronounced "ahn." But all three words are now thoroughly Anglicized.

No. 4: a) noo-klee-ahr Many people go nuclear when they hear "noo-kyoo-larhr." Pronounce it like "new clear," and you'll be in the clear.

No. 5: b) moot While the meaning of "moot" is often ambiguous (Is a moot point debatable or not debatable?), the pronunciation of "moot" isn't.

No. 6: a) fray-kis: Remember, when you enter a fray, you enter a fray-kis.

No. 7: a) di-vy-siv: Ever since President George H. W. Bush said "di-vis-iv" in his inaugural address, this pronunciation has been slithering its way into the patter of the Georgetown crowd.

No. 8: a) ree-pur-kuhsh-in: Remember that the prefix "re-" denotes "occurring again," as in "rebound." Thus, "repercussion," which combines "re" and "percussion" (beat), refers to a beat or action that repeats or bounces back.

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to WordGuy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, California, 90254.

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