Do doctors like to mispronounce words?

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Since starting med school, I've come across several examples of words that are consistently mispronounced by physicians and lecturers. In particular, the words 'eccentric' (as in eccentric load) and 'facet' (as in facet joint).
For all my life, I've only ever heard them pronounced like this:
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=eccentric
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=facet
But now, I keep hearing eccentric pronounced ee-centric (with emphasis on the first syllable and no hard 'c') and facet pronounced so that it rhymes with 'cassette' (i.e., emphasis on second syllable).

Out of curiosity, I checked various online dictionaries (MW, OED, etc.) to see if these are known alternative pronunciations, but I can't find a shred of evidence that these are even accepted secondary pronunciations (I wish I could, b/c it would make this seem less random and puzzling).
Has anyone else come across this? Is this some strange doctor thing? Or is it perhaps just particular to certain regions of the country?

Sont-a-meter.

All my rage.

Umbilicus, pronounced "Um-bill-LIE-cuss." Ugh.

As much as I love Pathoma, there are quite a few mispronounciations in the lectures...

Ugh my favorite is "duo-DEE-num". Mostly because I loved how "du-ODD-en-um" sounds. But I guess that is an acceptable alternative.

Originally Posted by Acoustic

Ugh my favorite is "duo-DEE-num". Mostly because I loved how "du-ODD-en-um" sounds. But I guess that is an acceptable alternative.

I think this is a regional (specifically British) thing. One of our anatomy professors who's from New Zealand pronounced it with the EEE sound. The other American prof didn't.

SKLEE-tal muscle. Really?

Always annoyed me that neurologists pronounce "absence seizure" as "absonts," regardless of whether or not that's the correct pronunciation.

"atelec-TAY-sis"

Do you pronounce it apo-ptosis or a-POP-tosis?

I have had several professors in undergrad and med school tell me that it is apo-ptosis, but Goljan and other professors pronounce it as a-POP-tosis. I prefer apo-ptosis.

For all his brains, Goljan really mangles a lot of pronunciations. It's apo-ptosis.

Yeah "um bi LIE kus" is the worst. I mean come on.. it sounds ridiculous.

Here's a few more than don't sound right...

medulla: "muh 'DUH luh"
thoracic: "'Thor a kick"
axilla or axilary: when they put the emphasis on the second syllable ("ax 'SIL uh" instead of "'AX ila"
mediastinum: "media 'STIE num" instead of "midi 'ASS tenum"
sternocleidomastoid: "sterno 'CLEED o mastoid" instead of "sterno 'CLYDE o"

This one I realize I'm probably in the minority, judging on how the vast majority of my class pronounces it: they say femoral as "fem 'ORE al" instead of "'Fem uh role".

I think how you learned it the first time you heard it, whether in undergrad or whatever, pretty much sets in stone how what sounds right to you.

First world problems, right?

Originally Posted by greatnt249

Always annoyed me that neurologists pronounce "absence seizure" as "absonts," regardless of whether or not that's the correct pronunciation.

So the proper pronunciation annoys you? Do you prefer petite mal?

Mediastinum should be "Media STEIN um". I can't even wrap my head around "Midi ASS tenum"

I agree with umbiLIEcus

Also, Gilbert = "Geel BEAR" instead of "GILL bert". I know it's the guy's name, but still, c'mon.

I think I always learned a-pop-tosis. Or maybe I learned a-pop-ptosis seeing as how the pronounciation doesn't really change.

I can't stand those who don't say 'du aw duh num', but go with 'duo DEEN um' then get all uppity about it.

Also, haven't heared 'Sont-a-meter' yet, but I may be tempted to physically assault a surgeon if he keeps going on and on about that being the proper pronounciation.

Also, if it's supposed to be pronounced "Absontz", then spell it like that, and not like the worst absence (like a leave of absence). Stuff is hard enough to learn anyways.

Originally Posted by YH5

Do you pronounce it apo-ptosis or a-POP-tosis?

I have had several professors in undergrad and med school tell me that it is apo-ptosis, but Goljan and other professors pronounce it as a-POP-tosis. I prefer apo-ptosis.

Originally Posted by VisionaryTics

For all his brains, Goljan really mangles a lot of pronunciations. It's apo-ptosis.

Both pronunciations are acceptable.
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=apoptosis

Originally Posted by anon747

Since starting med school, I've come across several examples of words that are consistently mispronounced by physicians and lecturers. In particular, the words 'eccentric' (as in eccentric load) and 'facet' (as in facet joint).

Every neurosurgeon I know says "fuh-set" instead of "fass-ett"

Originally Posted by Acoustic

Ugh my favorite is "duo-DEE-num". Mostly because I loved how "du-ODD-en-um" sounds. But I guess that is an acceptable alternative.

It is.

Originally Posted by greatnt249

Always annoyed me that neurologists pronounce "absence seizure" as "absonts," regardless of whether or not that's the correct pronunciation.

It's French.

Media-Stine-Um here in Missouri. Haven't ever heard of Media-Ass-Stinum before.

I've heard "Umbul-Ike-Us" and Umbilicus used often here.

A-Pop-tosis VS A-Po-Tosis seems to be debated at times at my school.

Dua-Deen-Um and Du-Oden-Um are both used here by different professors.

Heard contimeters a few times in some lectures by a british physiologist.

Originally Posted by VisionaryTics

Sont-a-meter.

All my rage.

THIS. Sole reason I didn't consider a career in pathology.

hearing PLAY-senta instead of pla-SEN-ta made me cringe a little

Also, do you guys know the correct pronunciation of vena cava?

In high school / college I heard it pronounced: VEEna CAYva
now in med school: VAYna CAWva

Originally Posted by jesse120

Also, do you guys know the correct pronunciation of vena cava?

In high school / college I heard it pronounced: VEEna CAYva
now in med school: VAYna CAWva

I've never heard it pronounced that second way.

(sent from my phone)

duoDEEnum is acceptable. i think that's how it's pronounced in spanish too.

media-STINE-um is the only way i've ever heard it

Originally Posted by jesse120

Also, do you guys know the correct pronunciation of vena cava?

In high school / college I heard it pronounced: VEEna CAYva
now in med school: VAYna CAWva

Well our anatomy prof had some quite interesting pronunciations...that was the first time I heard VAYna CAWva too. Excellent prof in all other ways tho

Originally Posted by Ismet

duoDEEnum is acceptable. i think that's how it's pronounced in spanish too.

media-STINE-um is the only way i've ever heard it



Well our anatomy prof had some quite interesting pronunciations...that was the first time I heard VAYna CAWva too. Excellent prof in all other ways tho

Ya, I know it's an accepted way of saying it. But that doesn't mean I like it. Too labored.

Originally Posted by sazerac

SKLEE-tal muscle. Really?

That's the Queens English not an affectation. My mum pronounces it that way and she's about as far from a medical person as you can get.

Originally Posted by TheProwler

Every neurosurgeon I know says "fuh-set" instead of "fass-ett"


It is.


It's French.

Interestingly, despite facet being "fuh-set," facetectomy is "fass-ett-ectomy"

Originally Posted by evilbooyaa

Also, Gilbert = "Geel BEAR" instead of "GILL bert". I know it's the guy's name, but still, c'mon.

Um, Geel Bear for Gilbert syndrome might actually be correct, as I believe the name stems from a French physician who discovered the syndrome. Same thing with Berger=Bear-jay disease. As for umbiliecus, I've noticed that pronunciation more among Indian physicians, along with encephalopathy being called "enkephalopathy."

how do you pronounce umbilicus if it's not umbul IKE us? like umbilical? um BILLI cuss?

I like umbul IKE us.

My favorite is your eat er vs your it er

Originally Posted by ijn

THIS. Sole reason I didn't consider a career in pathology.

I really dont get it too-- Ive only heard a few professors say it that way but theyre all American born and raised, so you cant attribute it to an accent or just not speaking in native tongue

Originally Posted by MrBeauregard

"atelec-TAY-sis"

?

How do you pronounce this, than? Maybe I've only read the word and never actually heard it said out loud, but I've always read it in my head how you spelled it.

Originally Posted by CaptainSSO

?

How do you pronounce this, than? Maybe I've only read the word and never actually heard it said out loud, but I've always read it in my head how you spelled it.

at-uh-LEC-ta-sis

"mnemonic" drives me nuts.

when they pronounce it pneu-monic I want to punch them in the face and scream, "The M is silent!!!!"

other than that I'm pretty laid back.

Originally Posted by CaptainSSO

?

How do you pronounce this, than? Maybe I've only read the word and never actually heard it said out loud, but I've always read it in my head how you spelled it.

My IM attending says "atelec-TAY-sis".

My Pulm/CCM and Radiology attendings say "a-te-LEC-ta-sis".

Originally Posted by tco

So the proper pronunciation annoys you? Do you prefer petite mal?

Yes, I believe that's what I said and even qualified it in my post. I've not run into anyone pronouncing it that way who doesn't sound pretentious doing so.

PS "Petit mal" is a dated term, and no, I don't pronounce the final "t." This pronunciation is justified, though, because "petit" is a borrowed word. The French, however, don't have exclusive claim to the word "absence", thus making me question why we pronounce it that way.

Originally Posted by MrBeauregard

My IM attending says "atelec-TAY-sis".

My Pulm/CCM and Radiology attendings say "a-te-LEC-ta-sis".

Just based on the etiology (a-telos-ectasis -- collapse of the terminal unit), I guess it should be "a-tel-ec-TAY-sis", but I've never heard it pronounced that way.

(That degree in classical Greek just pays for itself.)

Originally Posted by Top Gun

Um, Geel Bear for Gilbert syndrome might actually be correct, as I believe the name stems from a French physician who discovered the syndrome. Same thing with Berger=Bear-jay disease. As for umbiliecus, I've noticed that pronunciation more among Indian physicians, along with encephalopathy being called "enkephalopathy."

I know Gilbert is supposed to be pronounced Geel Bear due to him being French. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

Originally Posted by armybound

how do you pronounce umbilicus if it's not umbul IKE us? like umbilical? um BILLI cuss?

I like umbul IKE us.

Yes, you pronounce it like you would pronounce umbilical

um BILLI cus

Why change the pronounciation of a word when you change it from a noun to an adjective?


As to Atelectasis, I've heard both, and I think I've actually said both, usually just reflecting however my superior says it.

Every time someone says "sont eh meter" I expect them to turn up their nose and raise a pinky from their drink.......

So. Unbelievably. Pretentious.


Tangentially related: Encyclo- pay - dea (see:HIMYM)

This one I've only really heard nurses mangle, but how about the Yankauer suction: it's Yank-OWER, not YONKER. Dude's freaking name is Yank-OWER.

This one's more a spelling thing than a pronunciation thing, but what is up with 'orthopaedics'? And nearly everyone uses that spelling!

Some of the more particularly annoying ones say "rahhther" as opposed to "raather".

I think Anderson Cooper started doing it, then everyone in Boston followed suit, as so on. Now it's a presumed sign of an Oxford education.

I heard someone, a neurologist even, say tar-dive diskinesia. Like you dive into a pool. Absonce seizures. I know, I know, that one is Fronch. But we're not.

Originally Posted by siliso

I heard someone, a neurologist even, say tar-dive diskinesia. Like you dive into a pool. Absonce seizures. I know, I know, that one is Fronch. But we're not.

I haven't heard it said differently (tardive). How do you say it?

Originally Posted by Acoustic

I haven't heard it said differently (tardive). How do you say it?

tar-div

My TBL group got a kick out of mispronouncing rachischisis.

*In Sean Connery voice* Rashishishish...ish

Originally Posted by diagonal

tar-div

That. I even checked the dictionary. Apprehensive, pensive, tardive.

Originally Posted by siliso

That. I even checked the dictionary. Apprehensive, pensive, tardive.

What, you don't say app-re-hen-SIGH-vv?

Oh and, the American psychiatrist who said skeezophrenia and skeezotippal disorder. Never heard those before that rotation, either.

Originally Posted by siliso

Oh and, the American psychiatrist who said skeezophrenia and skeezotippal disorder. Never heard those before that rotation, either.

We just got done with our psych domain. There was a student who kept saying that. Also said in-TRAH-ven-us (trah has the a sound of tram). Uh.... no

Originally Posted by siliso

Oh and, the American psychiatrist who said skeezophrenia and skeezotippal disorder. Never heard those before that rotation, either.

I was always amused by our attendings pronouncing the field suckiatry