Mispronounced terms in the UK in 2023

To help everyone get off to a good start in 2024, Babbel has listed the most often mispronounced terms in the UK.

The language learning platform and the British Institute of Verbatim Reporters (BIVR), the premier organization for subtitling professionals in the UK, have partnered once more to create a list of the top 10 terms that the general public, newsreaders, politicians, and public personalities have mispronounced.

1. Neh-po Bay-bee, or Nepo baby

This year, it was impossible to avoid this word on social media. It describes famous people's kids who became well-known and successful due to their parents' fame.

2. [Stown uhv skoon] Stone of Scone
For a very long time, the royals have always been in the news. This phrase describes the "Stone of Destiny," which was present at King Charles III's coronation in May and is also utilized during the coronation ceremonies of British monarchs.

3. Baa-buhn-hai-muhor Barbenheimer
This phrase was created by combining the titles of Barbie and Oppenheimer, the two biggest movies of the year that came out on the same day back in July. Attendees dressed in black for Oppenheimer and pink for Barbie when they saw both movies on the same day as a double feature, which led to a plethora of memes.

4. Bharat [Buh-ruht]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first referred to the Indian subcontinent as Bharat, the Sanskrit word for it, at the September 2023 G20 summit.

5. Decels [Dee-Sell]
This phrase, which is short for "decelerationists," describes those who wish to impede the advancement of technology, especially when it comes to discussions about artificial intelligence (AI).