Amazing Articulation

The odd spellings of the words below make them difficult to pronounce. Don’t worry if you can’t, as long as you can guess their meaning.

1. anemone n. – A: ode in iambic pentameter. B: plant of the buttercup family. C: freshwater snail.

2. quinoa n. – A: set of five. B: edible starchy seeds. C: coat of arms.

3. isthmus n. – A: stuttering speech disorder. B: horizon bisected by the setting sun. C: narrow strip linking two land masses.

4. peremptory adj. – A: imperiously commanding. B: along an area’s perimeter. C: adjacent to valuable real estate.

5. mnemonic n. – A: growing. B: having a citrus flavour. C: memory aid.

6. hyperbole n. – A: large branch. B: red pigment. C: extreme exaggeration.

7. delectable adj. – A: extremely icy. B: detrimental. C: delightful.

8. inimitable adj. – A: impossible to imitate. B: repetitive. C: all-powerful.

9. banal

banana and adj. a – salal A: cross berry. between B: in poor a taste. C: commonplace and boring.

10. autochthonous adj. – A: indigenous. B: speaking many languages. C: having a second toe longer than one’s big toe.

11. ingenuity n. – A: slight dampness. B: portion. C: quality of being clever, original and inventive.

12. remunerative adj. – A: profitable. B: thoughtful. C: uncooperative.

13. Worcestershire n. – A: yellow china pattern. B: iconic maker of crystal wine glasses. C: English county famous for a dark brown condiment.

14. chimera n. – A: common rock that resembles silver. B: illusory hope. C: small waterfall.

15. antiphonal adj. – A: alternately sung or played by two groups. B: afraid of talking on the telephone. C: at the time of high tide.