jdh
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Gun terms that get misused or misspelled
- Thread starter Shivahasagun
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Leupold.
It's "LOO-pold," not "LEE-uh-pold."
Geissele.
It's "GUYS-lee," not "ji-ZELL."
It's "LOO-pold," not "LEE-uh-pold."
Geissele.
It's "GUYS-lee," not "ji-ZELL."
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Legionnaire
Contributing Member
While I share the aversion to "boolits," it seems to be an affectation among those who cast their own. So when I see (not hear) "boolits," I assume a caster.
I wouldn't mind never hearing "tactical" or its silly derivative "tacticool" again.
I wouldn't mind never hearing "tactical" or its silly derivative "tacticool" again.
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earlthegoat2
Member
None of these really get me going but here is a fun list
Hawkens/Hawkin
45 Long Colt
Calling primers caps
Calling rifle cartridges shells
Calling shotshells bullets
Calling metallic cartridges bullets
Calling bullets pills
Calling bullet boolits
The fact 44 caliber is .429 and 38 caliber is .357 among many others.
Dragon instead of Dragoon.
Calling any full bore size muzzleloading bullet a “maxi”
And yes, apparently the correct American pronunciation of Sako, is in fact Sah-ko. That really is only the tip of the iceberg for mispronunciation of proper names in the firearms world though.
Here is a question: How do you pronounce Swarovski? I get the feeling it is not Swar-ov-skee like I pretty much exclusively hear.
Hawkens/Hawkin
45 Long Colt
Calling primers caps
Calling rifle cartridges shells
Calling shotshells bullets
Calling metallic cartridges bullets
Calling bullets pills
Calling bullet boolits
The fact 44 caliber is .429 and 38 caliber is .357 among many others.
Dragon instead of Dragoon.
Calling any full bore size muzzleloading bullet a “maxi”
And yes, apparently the correct American pronunciation of Sako, is in fact Sah-ko. That really is only the tip of the iceberg for mispronunciation of proper names in the firearms world though.
Here is a question: How do you pronounce Swarovski? I get the feeling it is not Swar-ov-skee like I pretty much exclusively hear.
Kevin Keith
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Vhiootivouri or whatever that ding dang stuff is called. Pass the Bullseye, please. lol
.38 Special
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I really don't get why "boolit" sets people off. It's just a way for casters to set themselves apart. Think of it as a not-so-secret handshake.
Beyond that, I'll just note that I have no idea how to pronounce "Mannlicher". I suspect you have to kind of "cough" the "ch" in the back of your throat, like a proper German. I'm not going to do that at a gunshop in Boise. I'm also not going to say "man licker" - at least not with a straight face. So far, I've avoided the issue by saying "Hey, lemme see that one in the back, with the funny stock".
Beyond that, I'll just note that I have no idea how to pronounce "Mannlicher". I suspect you have to kind of "cough" the "ch" in the back of your throat, like a proper German. I'm not going to do that at a gunshop in Boise. I'm also not going to say "man licker" - at least not with a straight face. So far, I've avoided the issue by saying "Hey, lemme see that one in the back, with the funny stock".
CapnMac
Member
"Coke" is closer to the Southern German roots, if wanting and exhaled sort of "h" at the end. Heckler is "heck CLEAR" and not heckle-er.
And the term came from the previous farm hands more used to slower agricultural life and it's breaks, and "accidentally" losing their wooden shoes--sabottes--into the looms to break them.
Our British friends will tend to use "SAY boht" with the "t" a touch stronger than the French habit.
"Vee TOO tee VOO rhee"
South Asian words want a sing-song sort of cadence, and the emphasis often goes 'long' / 'short' for the vowels.Of course, one of the classic tongue-twisters is "Moisin Nagant" . . .
Carcano gets argued over, too. Typically over a North/South disagreement of "car KHAN oh" versus "CAR khan oh"--"kar CANE uh" will set my teeth on edge . . .
Lebel is meant--in French--to be two distinct syllables, "LEH bell" and not like "label" in English.
Wurds iz phun
RetiredUSNChief
Member
It's 'Murica!
Get over it!
I love these things, actually, because pronunciations are such an entertaining thing for people to get all riled up over! Especially when our cousins across the pond in England get involved!
English is the single, most b*stardized language on the face of the planet. It's origins lie with old West German dialects about 1,500 years ago. And along the way, the English language has raped, pillaged, plundered, kidnapped, stolen, and adopted vocabulary, syntax, and grammar from virtually every other language on the planet.
We'll happily incorporate a word into English and then argue over how it's spelled and/or pronounced until we're blue in the face, regardless of how it is spelled/pronounced in its parent language.
Like "herb". In the US, "herb" is pronounced with a silent "h" when referencing plants used in the kitchen for season. It's pronounced with the "h" sound when used as the name of a person "Herb", short for "Herbert".
Talk to our English cousins across the pond, and "herb" is most definitely pronounced with the "h" sound, period. And they'll gleefully make a big deal out of this, regardless of the fact that its origins as "herb" retained the silent "h" pronunciation.
That said...good English is a mark of a person's education and ability to communicate properly. Even so, given the immense complexity of the English language, which involves complex grammar rules, multiple definitions for many (if not most) words, and pronunciations that don't all follow the same linguistic rules, it's context as much as vocabulary and pronunciation which enables us to communicate meaningfully.
Get over it!
I love these things, actually, because pronunciations are such an entertaining thing for people to get all riled up over! Especially when our cousins across the pond in England get involved!
English is the single, most b*stardized language on the face of the planet. It's origins lie with old West German dialects about 1,500 years ago. And along the way, the English language has raped, pillaged, plundered, kidnapped, stolen, and adopted vocabulary, syntax, and grammar from virtually every other language on the planet.
We'll happily incorporate a word into English and then argue over how it's spelled and/or pronounced until we're blue in the face, regardless of how it is spelled/pronounced in its parent language.
Like "herb". In the US, "herb" is pronounced with a silent "h" when referencing plants used in the kitchen for season. It's pronounced with the "h" sound when used as the name of a person "Herb", short for "Herbert".
Talk to our English cousins across the pond, and "herb" is most definitely pronounced with the "h" sound, period. And they'll gleefully make a big deal out of this, regardless of the fact that its origins as "herb" retained the silent "h" pronunciation.
That said...good English is a mark of a person's education and ability to communicate properly. Even so, given the immense complexity of the English language, which involves complex grammar rules, multiple definitions for many (if not most) words, and pronunciations that don't all follow the same linguistic rules, it's context as much as vocabulary and pronunciation which enables us to communicate meaningfully.
Shivahasagun
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I agree with @earlthegoat2 that none of these really bother me, but I do wish those who sold products to those new to the hobby would at least try to get the names right.
To continue, there are many who should know better that use "caliber" when they mean "cartridge."
To continue, there are many who should know better that use "caliber" when they mean "cartridge."
RetiredUSNChief
Member
I hate that one.
Muzzle break! Broken muzzle? It is brake. As in to slow down, not damage.
410 3" magnum. Blame Taurus for that one.
Lapua. Lah-pwa
Sabot. Say-bo or Saah-bow
You gotta bite your tongue a lot (not alot) working in a gun store.
Rottweill. I hear rotweiler.
410 3" magnum. Blame Taurus for that one.
Lapua. Lah-pwa
Sabot. Say-bo or Saah-bow
You gotta bite your tongue a lot (not alot) working in a gun store.
Rottweill. I hear rotweiler.
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Seamaster31
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Monolithic. The lithic part of this word refers to stone. A monolith is a stone structure, and normally fairly large. Monometal would be a better term for a bullet.
Good to know that there's plenty of bilingual people here. Otherwise we wouldn't understand what we were reading.
That or understand what that other shooter at the range was talking about.
You know you're triggered when they start talking about banana clips and you get all
As they walk away mumbling, jeez, what's wrong with that boomer.
That or understand what that other shooter at the range was talking about.
You know you're triggered when they start talking about banana clips and you get all
As they walk away mumbling, jeez, what's wrong with that boomer.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
Let's see...in the same flavor as my previous posting on the humor between pronunciations:
Lever: in Britian the first "e" is a long "e" sound..."LEE-ver".
Bullet: in Britain it's more "boolit".
Trigger: in Britain it's "trigga".
These examples, of course, would vary by regional dialect.
For example, "trigga" would probably be ironically pronounced "trigger" with the inclusive "r" dialact in some regions of England.
Lever: in Britian the first "e" is a long "e" sound..."LEE-ver".
Bullet: in Britain it's more "boolit".
Trigger: in Britain it's "trigga".
These examples, of course, would vary by regional dialect.
For example, "trigga" would probably be ironically pronounced "trigger" with the inclusive "r" dialact in some regions of England.
jmorris
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Only if we are talking about the projectile, otherwise we are talking about a round(s) or ammunition.
The Glockodile
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https://www.sigtalk.com/threads/commonly-mishshpelled-firearm-lingo.32421/
Saw something like that here...
Saw something like that here...
Speedo66
Member
I’ll pronounce “Trigger” how Roy did when he called his horse.
“Site” is a place, not the things on your gun barrel.
So it’s not LAP-oo-a (Lapua)? Any Finns here to shed light on proper pronunciation?
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Jim Watson
Member
I know one guy who pronounces it car bine, mostly car been.
Cavalry is horse troops, Calvary is a Biblical site.
Cavalry is horse troops, Calvary is a Biblical site.
doubleh
Member
The only way I have ever heard that pronounced is Laah-poo-aah. Not knowing the correct way I just call it "that high priced stuff". Pronouncing Leupold Loo-pold gets you funny looks around here so I just pass on it.
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.38 Special
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That's a good point: sometimes the "right" way to pronounce something is the way everyone around you does it.
.45Coltguy
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Riomouse911
Member
Go into a gun store in Calgary and ask for a Cee Zee rifle and they’ll just look at you.
Up North, it’s a Cee Zed.
I don’t sweat the pronunciation too much myself. If the speaker knows pretty much what they’re talking about, a bit of language tweaking doesn’t matter to me.
Stay safe.
Up North, it’s a Cee Zed.
I don’t sweat the pronunciation too much myself. If the speaker knows pretty much what they’re talking about, a bit of language tweaking doesn’t matter to me.
Stay safe.
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