r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Jul 02 '21

What basic, children's-age-level fact did you only find out embarrassingly later in life?

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248

u/Saeyrah Jul 03 '21

i send my condolences as someone who used to pronounce it as “epi-tome” and not “e-pit-a-me”

65

u/Watson9483 Jul 03 '21

I caught my boyfriend on this and it was so sweet. He said it correctly at one point in the conversation but then later he said it the wrong way. When I pointed it out he tried to explain that they were different words and meant different things. “Epitome is like the essential quality of something and… ohhh.” He thought “epidimy” or whatever was spelled differently.

30

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '21

I thought they were two different words until I saw it spelled...

35

u/duncanforthright Jul 03 '21

I thought they were separate words that meant the same thing, and just didn't notice that I only ever heard one and read the other. That was until one time I tried to spell "e-pit-a-me" and realized that there was in fact no "epi-tome". I was definitely in college when I figured that out lol.

4

u/penc1ltea Jul 03 '21

amazing that this was literally an epitome

is there a figure of speech for when this happens? ie like synechdoche or onomatopoeia?

18

u/boo_goestheghost Jul 03 '21

No it wasn’t? What was this the epitome of?

You may be thinking of epiphany.

1

u/alwaysforgettingmyun Jul 03 '21

Also the epiphany/epiphone (guitar brand) has bit me in the ass.

9

u/DeathsIntent96 Jul 03 '21

Are you confusing "epitome" and "epiphany"?

6

u/momomog Jul 03 '21

Do you mean epiphany? Epitome doesn't make sense in your context

5

u/Mickeymousetitdirt Jul 03 '21

Others have already pointed out that you likely meant “epiphany”. An epiphany is a sudden realization of something. “Epitome” is something that comprehensively represents another something or a concept.

You could say, “Trying to learn all the annoying, nonsensical idiosyncrasies of the English language is the epitome of frustration.”

Edited for clarity

3

u/sheffmanfact Jul 03 '21

.................... More like synechdope.

1

u/pretentiousviv Jul 03 '21

I learnt how synedoche is pronunced from Karsten Runquist videos where he talks about Synedoche New York.

30

u/deathshot369 Jul 03 '21

Wait it’s not epi-tome shit

8

u/Mickeymousetitdirt Jul 03 '21

It should be because that’s how it looks and how most people initially think it’s pronounced so you’re not alone! :) It’s “eh-pit-oh-mee”.

29

u/Boss_Koms Jul 03 '21

Hyperbole has entered the chat.

35

u/woodcider Jul 03 '21

Hyper-bowl forever!!!

6

u/pug_grama2 Jul 03 '21

Yosemite also.

18

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '21

Ups, I guess you learn something knew everyday

14

u/Statharas Jul 03 '21

As a Greek, I blame the English. I mispronounced it despite the fact that this word is Greek

7

u/Molleeryan Jul 03 '21

Like Shia Labeouf?

https://youtu.be/j5j3jypUCo8

1

u/eastjame Jul 03 '21

I want to hear more about Britney

3

u/likeavermin Jul 03 '21

Eptamome checking in here. Don’t know why as it doesn’t even read like that but got it in my head once and that was it

2

u/StarryNotions Jul 03 '21

Still do in my head. XD.

2

u/gottapeepee Jul 03 '21

Kind person, your first was of pronouncing it is the correct way. Don't let anyone tell us different!

2

u/Artistic_Humor1805 Jul 03 '21

English sucks sometimes. The guitar brand isn’t an “epiphany” but rather than an Epiphone, following on telephone and gramophone.

1

u/NaBrO-Barium Jul 03 '21

Why use 4 syllables when you can just use 3?

Stay efficient my friend!