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What is the hardest word to pronounce?

The Most Difficult English Word To Pronounce Rural. Otorhinolaryngologist. Colonel. Penguin. Sixth. Isthmus. Anemone. Squirrel. More items... •

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Before we get too deep into the search for the world’s most difficult word to pronounce, we’ll have to start with a bit of soul-searching around that question. Words that are difficult for a native French speaker to pronounce may look vastly different from words that a native Mandarin speaker might struggle with. Just because Icelandic looks outlandish to an English speaker doesn’t mean it’s an objectively challenging language to pronounce. Just ask a native Icelander! Rather than try to boil it down to one definitive “most difficult word to pronounce,” we might have to look at a few examples from a number of languages (and admit that we’re looking at this from the perspective of Anglophones).

But first, what is it, exactly, that makes some words easier or harder to pronounce?

The Mechanics Of Pronunciation

Usually, pronunciation struggles in a foreign language can be attributed to two types of missed connections: a disconnect between how a word is spelled and how it’s spoken, or a disconnect between the mouth positions you’re accustomed to and the ones used by speakers of your target language. That words are often not phonetically reliable is a big pain point for language learners, and it’s one of the things non-native speakers often complain about most when studying English. Exhibit A: “choir.” The physical movements of your mouth, tongue and teeth are also a big determining factor in how well you nail your foreign accent. Sometimes, getting used to an unfamiliar sound is truly a matter of muscle memory. Beyond that, there are certain types of sounds that may be universally tricky for the human mouth to handle, regardless of how familiar you are with the words that contain them. Among these are rolled “r”s, “ths” (as in “baths”) and the Czech ř.

The Most Difficult English Word To Pronounce

If English is your mother tongue, you probably never gave much thought to how challenging it can be to master English pronunciation as an adult. Still, there are English words that even natives struggle with. One Reddit user opened up this can of worms, and after more than 5,000 submissions, the Reddit community came up with this list of “10 most difficult English words to pronounce”:

Rural

Otorhinolaryngologist

Colonel

Penguin

Sixth

Isthmus

Anemone

Squirrel

Choir

Worcestershire

The Most Difficult…

If we expand our inquiry to every other language in the world, the options (and the level of subjectivity) will only increase further.

German

Fünfhundertfünfundfünfzig: five hundred fifty-five

Russian

мгла (mgla): haze

(Via Wiktionary)

Chinese

日(rì): day (seriously, just listen to it)

Play

Estonian

Jõululaululaulja: Christmas caroller

Welsh

Llanhyfryddawelllehynafolybarcudprindanfygythiadtrienusyrhafnauole: The unofficial name of a village in Wales

Play

Icelandic

Vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúraútidyralyklakippuhringur: A keychain ring for the outdoor key of road workers shed in a moor called Vaðlaheiði

Play

Or just anything in Xhosa:

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Should I nail or screw shiplap?

Nails are the best options when installing shiplap cladding. Trim nails are faster to install than screws since you do not need to predrill the material and won't be risking causing unsightly splits. They can also be easily covered or touched up if needed.

So you bought some shiplap or are looking into buying some. You want to make sure you have the right tools when you begin the installation process, but you aren’t sure if you should use nails or screws. This is a common question that comes up when installing shiplap, and you aren’t alone in wondering which is best.

Should I use screws when installing shiplap?

Screws have their time and place when doing weekend DIY warrior projects, but they aren’t the best choice when it comes to shiplap. When using screws, you are more likely to split the material. This can lead to unsightly cracks and unusable material. You would also need to predrill the holes, which will add extra time and labor to the project. Screws are also much harder to cover up. Since screws also have larger heads, it can make it difficult for overlapping pieces to fit properly. And on top of everything else, screws are more expensive. We don’t recommend using screws when installing shiplap to save yourself time, money and the headache.

Should I use nails when installing shiplap?

Nails are the best options when installing shiplap cladding. Trim nails are faster to install than screws since you do not need to predrill the material and won’t be risking causing unsightly splits. They can also be easily covered or touched up if needed. When used on rustic shiplap, the nail holes blend in with the material, adding extra character, and won’t require additional touchups. We recommend choosing trim nails when installing shiplap cladding.

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