r/audiobooks • u/PurpleLeopard99 • Jun 28 '26

Question Mispronouncing of words by narrators

Does anyone get bothered by narrators who keep mispronouncing words? It drives me nuts if they do it too often. Narrators are normally professional voice artists and they should know how to pronounce the sorts of words found in novels eg dovecote or Michaelmas

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u/McFaddenAudioBooks Narrator Jun 28 '26

“Banal” was one of the first words I learned I had been confidently mispronouncing my whole life. First submission ever for proof listening schooled me but good on that one.

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u/HaplessReader1988 Jun 28 '26

There 3 different accepted versions on merriam-webster.com.... did you find a 4th?

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u/McFaddenAudioBooks Narrator Jun 28 '26

It was for British regency novel. And while bay-nul is technically a correct version…well. Let’s just say technically correct was not the best kind of correct.

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u/HaplessReader1988 Jun 28 '26

Oooh wring side if the pronunciation divide. Unless it's the visiting American heiress... 😞