Trouble with Lichen...

[cb]

I got lichen on Thursday 6th Jan, but I also tried litchen which is a very common alternative spelling in my experience, but it was rejected

[rogue_mother]

Another British/American divide ... I have never heard the word pronounced any way but lie-ken, so it has never occurred to me that it could be spelled any other way.

[pat]

I don't think this is necessarily a pond divide, RM, as I'd pronounce the word the same way as you.

I think it's one of those words that are easily mispronounced if you've only ever seen it written down and never heard it spoken. I've never seen it spelt litchen.

[cb]

Hmmm....  this is embarrassing!

I was SO sure that it was a valid alternative spelling that I didn't do a comprehensive check.  I did do a quick Google and got quite a few hits, including the page title text on the "British Litchen Society" - but on rechecking I find that even that page uses "lichen" in the body of the site.

And a couple of online dictionaries don't have it - so I checked my bookshelf and nor do my reference dictionaries.

So, folks, it appears to be a common misspelling, and one I was guilty of.

I shall retire quietly to hide my blushes and beg you all to forgive me and my hasty post this morning.

Sorry.

[Alan W]

No problem, cb.

It's amazing how many websites are around that have spelling errors in headings, page titles, etc.

[smaug]

I was always sure the flower was was spelled 'Fuschia' but it is actually spelled
'Fuchsia' I found out recently. I found a lot of different spellings on the internet for it too
Dont be embarrassed cb!

[birdy]

And then there's the opposite effect, where people know the word's spelling but don't know how to pronounce it.  I know that's very common, since English isn't written phonetically, but I think my favorite example is a very very well-read friend of mine who got to college before he was corrected on his pronunciation of "mize-uld" - which most of us pronounce "miss-led."

[pat]

A friend of mine used to pronounce the word compromise as come promise. It was most confusing the first time I heard him use it!

[TRex]

When a lad, I thought laughter rhymed with daughter! 

[biggerbirdbrain]

And then there's the classic -- ValentiMe's day -- I never heard of St. Valentime, but apparently others have! 

[pat]

I remember going into a cake shop as a child and asking for a merring-gyew.

Where have you been all this time, threeb? Welcome back.

[drs]

As a kid in school, we used often to take it in turns to read aloud, and I am still mortified today, remembering an incident when I pronounced the word "massacre" with the accent on the second syllable and was publicly corrected. Oh, the ignominy!

[Alan W]

I had a similar classroom experience with sepulchre, which I read out with the stress on the second syllable, pronounced to rhyme with mulch. What was humiliating was not so much that I'd made a mistake, but that so many of my classmates knew the correct pronunciation (and laughed).

I think the pronunciation of lichen to rhyme with kitchen is not in quite the same category, since several dictionaries do give that pronunciation as an alternative. I'm pretty sure I've heard David Attenborough pronounce lichen in that way. (I notice that the Urban Dictionary does have an entry for litchen - as a combination of a living room and kitchen!)

[smaug]

I struggled with halcyon and calliope for a while-    halk -y -on and cally - ope

and I still dont know how to pronounce demesne
My very well read sons come out with some incorrect pronunciations sometimes and I love correcting them - little no- alls!

and echoing Pat- gidday threeb - saw your name on the play list t'other day and wondered when you might post!

[pat]

That would be ig-no-miney then drs.

And smaug, you mean it's not pronounced cally-ope??!!