My ex always tried to make ME look dumb. He questioned everything I said, laughed when I voiced my opinion and made fun of things I said.
One time he laughed and made fun of me for saying the word “worsh” instead of “wash.” I have never in my life said “worsh” so he just heard what he wanted to hear. There was no arguing with him; he was right and I was wrong.
Once I had told him about an “obnoxious boy” in the classroom I worked in. He wanted to know what I meant by “obnoxious” and when I proceeded to tell him, he accused me of making up the word! Again, no arguing with him.
It seemed to be one thing after another. I’ll be damned if I can recall everything at the moment. I learned early on to block things out. I wonder if I hadn’t blocked things out if I would’ve stayed with him as long as I did? But I digress.
I do remember some of the words CP used and the way he said them, and GOD FORBID if anyone ever corrected him! He thought he was so smart but yet, I doubt he even knew how to use a dictionary or thesaurus. Actually, I don’t know if he even knew how to alphabetize. I remember telling him about a 5th grade boy I had been working with who was having a hard time mastering alphabetical order. I was trying to find an easy way to help him better understand. CP said, “It isn’t rocket science, so what was is it he doesn’t get?” I went on to explain that the boy understood how but it was groups of words that started with the same letter that had him stymied. (OMG another word I had to explain the meaning of and yet another word I was accused of making up!) “What do you mean, starts with the same letter?” CP asked. I ended up having to explain what I meant and he had some words of wisdom that I can’t recall but it was obvious to me that he had no idea what I was talking about. (Where the hell do we find these mentally and intellectually dysfunctional men, anyway?)
CP often used words that had silent letters which HE pronounced. Case in point: Miscellaneous – which he pronounced with a “k” in place of the letter “c”. I mentioned to him once that the “c” was silent and he insisted it was not and that I should look it up in the dictionary. I would have if we had had a dictionary in the house at that time. He knew we didn’t have one so, there ya go.
I’m not perfect and I’m sure I make spelling and grammar errors, but I make a conscious effort to do it right. I use Grammarly for such things but it doesn’t always catch everything. I certainly don’t use words when speaking unless I know how to pronounce them and what they mean. I try. I admit when I’m wrong. Him? Not a chance.
There were so many words CP pronounced incorrectly or just plain didn’t use properly. Let me give you a list of some of the words I can remember and the way he pronounced them:
- Miscellaneous – misKellaneous
- Muscle – musKle (Seriously!)
- Scissors – sKizzors (I kid you not!)
- Equipment – equipTment (Because “equipped” sounds like it has a “t” in it?)
- Athlete – athelete (extra syllable)
- Escape – eXcape
- Etcetera – eXcetera
- Height – heighTH
- Regardless – irregardless (The “ir” is redundant.)
- Library – libary (Little kids often say this word incorrectly – they’re just kids!)
- Pronunciation – proNOUNciation
- Supposedly – supposably (A real word but does not mean the same thing as “supposedly.”)
- Scenario – sKenario
- Subtle – suBtle (He pronounces the “B”)
- Discipline – disKipline
- Oscillate – osKillate
- Scintillating – sKintillating
Over the years CP and I were together I would learn of many words he didn’t know the meaning of such as oblivion, quintessential, ogle, peevish, finagle, and faux pas, to name but a few.
Boy, Grammarly left all kinds of red marks all over this list! Haha! CP sure as hell shouldn’t have been making fun of me or questioning MY grammar or pronunciation! Do you know someone who pronounces or uses words incorrectly? Wouldn’t you just love to kick them?
Being Aunt Debbie 