Question from a Canadian.

[momof4babes]

I have come across people writting " whala" in the same context as I would use "voila". Is this an American Vs Canadian thing?

[maize]

Not something I have seen before, but I have heard voila pronounced that way...

[planner]

No, it's an uneducated thing.

[Spryte]

I think it's a misspelling. And pronunciation.

 

Maybe better than "viola!"

[kiwik]

Can I jump in with another question? I keep reading 'peak my curiosity or whatever'. Do you guys actually use peak instead of pique or is it a misspelling?

[marbel]

Can I jump in with another question? I keep reading 'peak my curiosity or whatever'. Do you guys actually use peak instead of pique or is it a misspelling?

 

It is a misspelling, or simply a lack of understanding the term.

 

There are others (of course I can't think of them right now) that are commonly misspelled (or the wrong spelling is used).  Drives me crazy.

 

Not exactly the same, but people saying "without further adieu" instead of "without further ado."  Ugh! 

[creekland]

I have not seen whala at all from either side of the border.

 

I've seen peak used by folks on both sides of the border.

 

I think with many of these things people mainly get typing and the brain fills in whatever without thinking.  I suspect many would be able to correct themselves if they stopped to think, but there are a few who likely don't know the difference.  They just hear things and don't know there are different words, so type what they hear in a form they know.

 

I notice a fair number of them (though definitely am also prone to typos myself!), but they don't bug me when I see them as I just see typos as normal in basic written communication.  It's totally different with more formal written communication.  When I see typos there they annoy me.

[AnnE-girl]

I tend to see those more on comments online. I know it tends to be less formal, but I still worry that a large proportion of the population thinks those are the correct spellings.

[Miss Tick]

In many cases it seems likely that the people making these mistakes have HEARD the word or phrase but never READ them, so their brain has filled in the closest English word (or random syllables) that they know.

 

I'm "racking" my brain to think of one...

[Happygrl]

I was going to say what Susan said.  A lot of the misspelled phrases I've read aren't ones you usually see in print but, in a conversational online tone, you might.  Words like pique aren't ones you see often, so it doesn't surprise me when peak or peek is used instead. 

[MyThreeSons]

I think some of these other examples might fall under the category of an "eggcorn". Check out this database of eggcorns:

 

http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/

 

 

[Daria]

No, it's an uneducated thing.

 

It's a joke.  I don't use it myself, but the people I know who use "Wala" (or I guess Whala, I've never seen that one) or Viola are making fun of themselves and what they see as a slightly affected use of the word "voila".  

[unsinkable]

In many cases it seems likely that the people making these mistakes have HEARD the word or phrase but never READ them, so their brain has filled in the closest English word (or random syllables) that they know.

 

I'm "racking" my brain to think of one...

I've done it. A few years ago, I heard kids saying, "it's all Gucci" a lot. I knew they meant "it's all good" but I never gave any thought to its origins.

 

So when I wrote it on the board, I wrote, "it's all goochie" bc that is how it sounded. I didn't think it was referring to Gucci, the designer. Someone here corrected me.

[mamaraby]

I think some of these other examples might fall under the category of an "eggcorn". Check out this database of eggcorns:

 

http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/

And now I know what I'll be reading tonight while "watching" dh's show with him. It's kind of like NPR's "A Way With Words."

[MyThreeSons]

It's a joke.  I don't use it myself, but the people I know who use "Wala" (or I guess Whala, I've never seen that one) or Viola are making fun of themselves and what they see as a slightly affected use of the word "voila".  

 

When I have seen someone on FB correct "wa-la" (that's the misspelling I see most often) the person being corrected has never said "I knew that -- it was just a joke."  They are always surprised to find out that what they thought they were saying is actually spelled "voila". 

[SproutMamaK]

I've only seen this once. I friend posted a picture of a new garden she had planted with just the caption "WALLA!" I didn't realize it was a new garden, and had no clue what she meant by "walla", so I googled it. I was then much more confused, because I had no idea what this garden had to do with a person who drives a rickshaw. :lol:

[Cinder]

I tend to see those more on comments online. I know it tends to be less formal, but I still worry that a large proportion of the population thinks those are the correct spellings.

In many cases it seems likely that the people making these mistakes have HEARD the word or phrase but never READ them, so their brain has filled in the closest English word (or random syllables) that they know.

 

This and this. It's mostly online that I see wa-la in it's various forms and I think mostly people don't know the real word is voila (sorry I don't have the fancy a key). The other word I see misspelled frequently is whoa written woah. Perhaps I should be glad they at least got all the correct letters and aren't using woe instead.

[maize]

With words that are homophones to me (pique/peak, sell/sale, they're/their/there etc.) I make mistakes all the time when typing. It's not that I don't know which word is which, but there is something about the way my brain functions while typing that bypasses such nuances--apparently I type according to sound not meaning. It's odd, and frustrates me when I go back and find the errors. But not enough to make me always go back and check before hitting "post" :)

[Mimm]

I have come across people writting " whala" in the same context as I would use "voila". Is this an American Vs Canadian thing?

 

I think (hope) it's mostly a joke. Some people do it unintentionally though.

[KrissiK]

I was reading an article in a church newsletter written by a woman who thought she had an impressive command of language. She used the phrase "for all intensive purposes". I sat there laughing. Mean, I know.

[creekland]

The other word I see misspelled frequently is whoa written woah. Perhaps I should be glad they at least got all the correct letters and aren't using woe instead.

 

And this led my brain to wonder how many people are learning the wrong way to spell pharaoh due to American Pharoah, the horse who is trying for a Triple Crown horse racing triumph later today...

 

One has to expect neither his owners nor those approving names caught the spelling error.

[Word Nerd]

It's wishful thinking to assume it's a joke. It's a common misspelling.

[Cinder]

And this led my brain to wonder how many people are learning the wrong way to spell pharaoh due to American Pharoah, the horse who is trying for a Triple Crown horse racing triumph later today...

 

One has to expect neither his owners nor those approving names caught the spelling error.

 

I don't keep up with horse racing so I checked the all-knowing wikipedia. :D

 

 

Name

American Pharoah's name is inspired by that of his sire, Pioneerof the Nile, and his dam's sire, Yankee Gentleman.^[21] The horse's name also acknowledges Zayat's own dual Egyptian-American background.^[22] The misspelling of "Pharaoh" is permanent, but inadvertent, though its origins are murky. Zayat originally claimed that the spelling was the result of an error by The Jockey Club, but the organization's president stated, "The name request for the 2012 colt American Pharoah was submitted electronically on January 25, 2014, through The Jockey Club's interactive registration site. Since the name met all of the criteria for naming and was available, it was granted exactly as it was spelled on the digital name application." Zayat later retracted his statement.^[23][d]

 

Zayat's wife, Joanne, offered another explanation for the name's origins to a local news reporter just before the Preakness. Zayat's son, Justin, ran a contest on social media in which fans could submit names for the horse. The winning entry had "Pharaoh" misspelled, she said. "Justin cut and pasted the name from [the winner's] email, and sent it to the Jockey Club."^[24][25] Marsha Baumgartner of Barnett, Missouri, who submitted the winning entry, told The New York Times, "I don't want to assign blame," but "I looked up the spelling before I entered." Nonetheless, Baumgartner minimized the controversy, stating, "Horses can't spell, anyway."^[21][e]

 

[marbel]

These things do sort of bother me when I see them in casual writing, such as blog comments or forum posts.   We teach our kids that it's important to spell correctly and to communicate clearly.   But then often we (general we) adults give ourselves a pass on it. 

 

Stuff like "for all intensive purposes" is just mishearing, I guess, and if it's something people don't  come across in reading, then they won't know they're wrong, even if the expression doesn't make sense.  I get that, but it still bothers me a little.

 

Maybe I'm just a hopeless snob. 

 

(And I'm sure there is an error in this post, even though I proofread the heck out of it!)

[justasque]

I have come across people writting " whala" in the same context as I would use "voila". Is this an American Vs Canadian thing?

I think misspelling voilà is typical of people who have never studied French, which would rule out most Canadians.

[Lady Florida.]

I've seen it. It's a people who can't spell vs. those who can thing.

 

 

[creekland]

 

I don't keep up with horse racing so I checked the all-knowing wikipedia. :D

 

 

 

 

 "Horses can't spell, anyway."

 

Interesting - and true.   :lol: 

 

And confirms my suspicion that the original person didn't know and no one later on (multiple individuals in this case) caught it!

 

Now I'll admit to wondering who first caught it (and when)!

 

Then the ultimate question, will more people misspell the word due to the horse or get it correct due to the horse and many announcers mentioning the mistake... one would have to be paying attention to the announcers vs just seeing a headline.

[Lady Florida.]

These things do sort of bother me when I see them in casual writing, such as blog comments or forum posts.   We teach our kids that it's important to spell correctly and to communicate clearly.   But then often we (general we) adults give ourselves a pass on it. 

 

Stuff like "for all intensive purposes" is just mishearing, I guess, and if it's something people don't  come across in reading, then they won't know they're wrong, even if the expression doesn't make sense.  I get that, but it still bothers me a little.

 

Maybe I'm just a hopeless snob. 

 

(And I'm sure there is an error in this post, even though I proofread the heck out of it!)

 

It bothers me too. I think it's true that most people never come across these things in writing and that bothers me. How is it that I know these things? I don't really remember but I must have been taught or otherwise came across them in writing. What's different that some people never learned or saw them?

 

I don't have any special or fancy educational background. I went to Catholic school until part way through third grade then public school the rest of the way, including a public state university. I didn't become well-read until years after I finished school and yet, I knew the correct spelling of the things that are now commonly misspelled. It really does puzzle me why and how some of us are familiar with these words and some aren't

[marbel]

It bothers me too. I think it's true that most people never come across these things in writing and that bothers me. How is it that I know these thing? I don't really remember but I must have been taught or otherwise came across them in writing. What's different that some people never learned or saw them?

 

I don't have any special or fancy educational background. I went to Catholic school until part way through third grade then public school the rest of the way, including a public state university. I didn't become well-read until years after I finished school and yet, I knew the correct spelling of the things that are now commonly misspelled. It really does puzzle me why and how some of us are familiar with these words and some aren't

 

Similar here.  I am not an intellectual; my SAT scores were nothing to brag about, etc. Probably it's simply differences in the way peoples' brains work.

 

One of my kids cannot spell yet is a great reader.  A psychologist he used to see said that most people learn to spell by reading, but my kid glossed over the spelling of the words to get on with what he was reading.  Spelling simply wasn't important enough to him. 

 

I wonder how he would spell "voila."  Not well, I'm afraid. 

 

[ktgrok]

I've only seen this once. I friend posted a picture of a new garden she had planted with just the caption "WALLA!" I didn't realize it was a new garden, and had no clue what she meant by "walla", so I googled it. I was then much more confused, because I had no idea what this garden had to do with a person who drives a rickshaw. :lol:

 

I think Walla is also a variety of onion. Maybe that's what she planted?

[creekland]

 Probably it's simply differences in the way peoples' brains work. 

 

 

This is what I think - coupled with our (collective) human nature to assume that what we perceive or care about is what everyone should care about.  Then it amazes us (again, collective) when others don't share our priorities or experiences.

 

Working at our public high school has opened my eyes to a variety of humans and the way they think, both teens and teachers.  It's been a good experience overall.

[unsinkable]

Interesting - and true. :lol:

 

And confirms my suspicion that the original person didn't know and no one later on (multiple individuals in this case) caught it!

 

Now I'll admit to wondering who first caught it (and when)!

 

Then the ultimate question, will more people misspell the word due to the horse or get it correct due to the horse and many announcers mentioning the mistake... one would have to be paying attention to the announcers vs just seeing a headline.

Our family gets a kick out of the race horse named Hoof Hearted. Sounds fine until the track announcer says it really fast. :lol:

 

This was a few years ago.

[gardenmom5]

I have come across people writting " whala" in the same context as I would use "voila". Is this an American Vs Canadian thing?

I think it is a someone hasn't seen the word spelled correctly thing.

I've seen lots of those words. Bangs head on wall.

[ElizabethB]

"Horses can't spell, anyway," and neither can those cows who want you to "Eat mor chikin." We always joke that the cows need to watch my spelling lessons, but that they do spell pretty good for cows.

[unsinkable]

Well, spelling aside, American Pharoah is the first Triple Crown winner since 1978!

 

Amazing race, nearly wire to wire. :hurray:

 

Victor Espinoza sounds so thrilled.

[ElizabethB]

Well, spelling aside, American Pharoah is the first Triple Crown winner since 1978!

 

Amazing race, nearly wire to wire. :hurray:

 

Victor Espinoza sounds so thrilled.

That horse obviously spent more time training than in school!!

[unsinkable]

That horse obviously spent more time training than in school!!

Hahaha.

 

The announcer called him the horse with the misspelled name. :lol:

[gardenmom5]

I think Walla is also a variety of onion. Maybe that's what she planted?

Walla walla sweet is the onion.

[kiwik]

I make mistakes when typing on my phone. I don't mind much if people type the wrong word or their autocorrect corrects wrongly on a forum. There are, however a lot of words spelt differently in the US to NZ (check versus check fir example) and I thought maybe pique was one I didn't know about. The only having heard a word explains many things too. I once had to explain that it was guerillas not gorillas and where the name came from. She was of the opinion it was they were called gorillas because they had mountain headquarters and his in the mist.

[IsabelC]

There's one I know of that DOES vary by country, and that is scoff vs scarf (as in to gobbling something down when you are eating). I used to think that the latter was a spelling mistake, until I read it in quite a few American books and found that scarf is actually correct in the US (and possibly Canada also?). Of course it sounds peculiar here because the pronunciations are quite different.

[Daria]

Hahaha.

 

The announcer called him the horse with the misspelled name. :lol:

Anyone else predict that misspelled names will now be considered lucky and we'll see contenders named Canadian Tsaravich or something.

[OhanaBee]

It's a joke.  I don't use it myself, but the people I know who use "Wala" (or I guess Whala, I've never seen that one) or Viola are making fun of themselves and what they see as a slightly affected use of the word "voila".  

 

My uncle will do this.  His favorite thing is to tell some unsuspecting person they look very "Swaavie" (suave) today.....and then watch them try to figure out if he: 1) Just insulted them  OR 2) after realizing what word he used, does he actually know the correct pronunciation?

[unsinkable]

...tangentially related...

 

I was ( still am) a voracious reader growing up and my reading vocabulary was vast. But there were words I hadn't heard spoken IRL and wasn't sure how to pronounce. It only took a couple times of adults laughing at my mispronunciations before I mostly stopped trying to use "new" words unless I was 100% certain about how to pronounce them.

 

I did appreciate the adults who matter-of-factly said the correct pronunciation, instead of laughing or mocking.

 

It was similar to when I was reading (and I read at a pace of several books a day) and would ask, "what does XXX mean?" bc I was zooming thru books and was told, "Look it up." ARGHHHHH! I certainly could have looked it up, (and often did, when I was done) but I was usually so into the book I didn't want to stop.

[mellifera33]

I can understand the pique vs. peak thing. Say that your interest level is at a steady state:

 

_____________________________

 

Then something suddenly interests you:

 

________^________

 

See? It's a "peak" in your interest level.  :lol:

 

[.Michelle.]

There's one I know of that DOES vary by country, and that is scoff vs scarf (as in to gobbling something down when you are eating). I used to think that the latter was a spelling mistake, until I read it in quite a few American books and found that scarf is actually correct in the US (and possibly Canada also?). Of course it sounds peculiar here because the pronunciations are quite different.

 

That's interesting!  For Americans, scoffing is when you're dismissing something in an insulting way.  Scarfing is definitely gobbling something down.

[ThisIsTheDay]

These things do sort of bother me when I see them in casual writing, such as blog comments or forum posts.   We teach our kids that it's important to spell correctly and to communicate clearly.   But then often we (general we) adults give ourselves a pass on it. 

 

Stuff like "for all intensive purposes" is just mishearing, I guess, and if it's something people don't  come across in reading, then they won't know they're wrong, even if the expression doesn't make sense.  I get that, but it still bothers me a little.

 

Maybe I'm just a hopeless snob. 

 

(And I'm sure there is an error in this post, even though I proofread the heck out of it!)

 

It bothers me too! 

I agree with those who said that the origin is not understood.  That's why I've always wanted my kids to have cultural literacy, to understand references to art (for example), ancient literature, phrases, etc.

 

But what do I know--for a couple of years, I thought my kids made up the term "ginger" on their own to describe redheads.  I was worried that they might offend someone. It wasn't until I heard someone else say it that I realized my kids learned it somewhere else.  Same thing with the word "Smexy."  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Word Nerd]

I read the word "segue" many times before I learned the actual pronunciation.

[ThisIsTheDay]

...tangentially related...

 

I was ( still am) a voracious reader growing up and my reading vocabulary was vast. But there were words I hadn't heard spoken IRL and wasn't sure how to pronounce. It only took a couple times of adults laughing at my mispronunciations before I mostly stopped trying to use "new" words unless I was 100% certain about how to pronounce them.

 

I did appreciate the adults who matter-of-factly said the correct pronunciation, instead of laughing or mocking.

 

 

Thank you for this reminder.  I was also a voracious reader, and I could spell a lot of words and knew meanings, but I couldn't (and still often can't) pronounce them.  My 16yo son is having the same experience, and I do need to correct him.  Usually I don't say anything because I don't want to discourage him, but I'm not doing him any favors.

[MyThreeSons]

I have tutored many homeschool math students over the years. Because many of them read their textbooks rather than having a classroom or video teacher, I have heard some interesting pronunciations. I tried to not laugh, and then gently use the correct pronunciation so that they wouldn't be embarrassed when they got to college. 

 

Some of the words (e.g. parabola, hyperbola, Phythagorean) are not words that come up in everyday conversation. But some, such as inventory, really surprised me. And one brilliant young lady seemed to have a British influence in her pronunciations, although she, her parents and her grandparents all grew up here in the Carolinas.