It’s “SHE-in” — not “sheen.”
2024 brought us another year of mispronounced names and words in the popular discourse, from brands to popular medicine to politicians and high-profile celebrities.
Since 2016, the closed-captioning company The Captioning Group has compiled the list on behalf of the language platform Babbel, bringing together all the terms that newscasters, politicians, and public figures struggled to pronounce correctly on TV.
Esteban Touma, a linguistic and cultural expert at Babbel, told Business Insider this year’s words were a snapshot of the political, cultural, and musical zeitgeist.
Ready to test your pronunciation chops?
In no particular order, here are the top 10 most mispronounced words of the year, according to Babbel’s report.
Semaglutide
There is more to the hype surrounding semaglutide, the active ingredient of the weight loss medication Ozempic, than just its effects.
For those unfamiliar with the antidiabetic medication, pronouncing it can be a challenge.
Pronunciation: sem-ah-GLOO-tide
Pete Buttigieg
The transportation secretary and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was one of the Democrats’ most articulate spokespeople when he took over the airwaves and tried to appeal to swing voters and moderates for Harris.
He’s also been known to spar with Elon Musk online.
Pronunciation: peet BOOD-ih-judge
Shein
The name of the fast fashion company Shein is frequently mispronounced as “Sheen.” The company is reportedly planning to debut on the London Stock Exchange early next year.
Pronunciation: SHE-in
Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris has often seen her name being mispronounced, most recently in the run-up to the November 2024 presidential election.
Her nieces, Amara and Leela, helped set the record straight onstage at the DNC in August.
“It’s like a comma in a sentence,” explained Amara. “Then you say ‘la,’ like ‘la la la,’” added Leela.
Pronunciation: COM-a-la HAR-iss
Zendaya
Actress Zendaya starred as tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan in “Challengers” and as Chani in “Dune: Part II.” Her name is frequently mispronounced “Zen-DIE-a.”
Pronunciation: Zen-DAY-a
Chappell Roan
Pop singer Chappell Roan had a breakout year in 2024.
She has humorously called out those who said [SHA-pel ROW-an] during a live performance, making it clear that it’s actually [CHAP-uhl], which sounds like chapel, and [ROHN], which rhymes with tone.
Pronunciation: CHAP-uhl ROHN
SPECULOOS-3b
SPECULOOS-3b is an Earth-sized exoplanet that orbits a red dwarf that captured global attention in May when astronomers announced its discovery at a distance of 55 light-years.
Pronunciation: SPEK-yuh-lohss three bee
Phryge
The phryge, the mascot of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, was chosen as a symbol of freedom and to represent allegorical figures of the French Republic.
Pronunciation: FREE-je
Barry Keoghan
The Irish actor rose to prominence for his role in Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” last year, though Sabrina Carpenter fans will also know him as the pop singer’s boyfriend.
Though the letter “G” is often silent in Irish names, Keoghan’s last name has a distinct “G” sound.
Pronunciation: BARR-ee key-OH-gin
Dutch Kooikerhondje
Shohei Ohtani’s dog, a Dutch Kooikerhondje, “threw” the first pitch at a game at Dodger Stadium after the Dodgers’ pitcher signed a historic 10-year, $700 million deal with the MLB team.
Pronunciation: COY-ker-HUND-che
The post Shein, semaglutide, and 8 other words people mispronounced the most in 2024 appeared first on Business Insider.
