Overhear someone mispronounce a word? Don't correct them. Here's why. David Oliver, USA TODAY September 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM 0 Maybe you love the smell of fresh school supplies. Maybe you call Target "Tarjay." Maybe you're still watching "Grey's Anatomy." We all have our quirks.
- - Overhear someone mispronounce a word? Don't correct them. Here's why.
David Oliver, USA TODAY September 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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Maybe you love the smell of fresh school supplies. Maybe you call Target "Tar-jay." Maybe you're still watching "Grey's Anatomy."
We all have our quirks. And a recent viral TikTok is encouraging people to let their freak flags fly.
"You know what's underrated? Letting people be," a TikTok user captioned a video with more than 11 million views. "Letting them mispronounce a word, talk too much about a show they love, or get excited about something you don't understand. You don't have to get it, just be kind. Everyone's got something that lights them up. Let them shine, even if it's not your thing."
And experts generally agree. "Letting people shine, even when they're talking about something that isn't your thing, taps into validation through active listening and taking a non-judgmental stance about what someone else is saying," says Regine Galanti, a clinical psychologist. "Affirmation and validation are great skills to use to support others and build self esteem and self-worth."
But if something is really bothering you – like, they say the "h" in herb – and you have no choice but to yuck someone's yum, be as respectful as possible. Someone's mispronunciation, for example, might have more do with innocent ignorance as opposed to a mistake worth correcting.
"Some people, based on their cultural background, may not know how to pronounce a word, and depending on the context in which they're sharing on social media, I think it's completely appropriate to allow them to mispronounce a word," says Kevin Chapman, founder and director of the Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders.
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'Consider whether correction serves the other person's interests'
Everyone loves validation. And that's the spirit behind the messaging in this TikTok. "Psychologically, validation is the act of recognizing someone else's thoughts, experiences or emotions," Galanti adds. "Validation allows for increased emotion regulation in individuals, and improved relationships – it helps you feel heard."
People light up when conversations meander to their wheelhouse. "They're simply sharing their heart and their own opinions about something that they're passionate about," adds Chapman, "and they're not really necessarily looking for the opinion of other people to correct them about the content they're sharing."
Validating someone doesn't mean you have to agree with them, of course. You might think school supplies smell bad or that "Grey's Anatomy" is the worst show ever. That doesn't mean you need to say all that to someone waxing poetic on either.
This conversation proves trickier when addressing mispronunciations, though, and "depends heavily on context, relationship and motivation," says Brad Fulton, associate professor of management and social policy at Indiana University Bloomington.
It may be smart to help someone out so they don't make a fool of themselves, like if they keep saying their boss's name wrong. "That said, some people constantly correct others," Fulton adds, "often doing so out of a need to demonstrate their superiority or knowledge."
A good litmus test? "Consider whether correction serves the other person's interests or just satisfies your own need to be right," Fulton says.
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When 'it's worth the awkwardness of a correction'
If you are going to jump in to help someone out with a mispronunciation, "err towards gentle correction rather than affirmation, especially if you're in a context that allows you to help the person you're speaking with avoid further embarrassment later," Galanti says. Because "shaming someone in that moment can do far more harm than we realize," adds Chase Cassine, licensed clinical social worker.
Be careful to not to go too far the other way. If they're objectively wrong about something, it "doesn't help them in the long run, so if you know the person well enough, it's worth the awkwardness of a correction," Galanti says.
Whether someone's interests bore you or a mispronunciation is getting on your nerves, approach every conversation about such subjects with grace. "Choosing compassion over condescension reflects emotional intelligence and a deeper respect for people's humanity," Cassine says.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mispronounced words: The case for not correcting, leaving people alone
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