You Say Tomato
So earlier this week, I had a conversation with my friend, who works in the same office as I do, about how to pronounce "clitoris". You know, whether the accent is on the first syllable or the second and how come no one ever makes the case for the third syllable.
He asked, very logically, why not just avoid all the conflict and go with "clit", which is all fine and good unless you're speaking to your father in law or something and you don't want to be so informal.
Then he directed me to dictionary.com, where I could click on the little megaphone icon and it would give me the correct pronunciation. So I did. Mystery solved. Unfortunately, because the volume on my computer was turned up to intergalactic, the mystery was solved for everyone working on my floor.
Sometimes it's better not to engage your friends at work in conversations about clitori.
This is just further proof about how I suck at small talk.
He asked, very logically, why not just avoid all the conflict and go with "clit", which is all fine and good unless you're speaking to your father in law or something and you don't want to be so informal.
Then he directed me to dictionary.com, where I could click on the little megaphone icon and it would give me the correct pronunciation. So I did. Mystery solved. Unfortunately, because the volume on my computer was turned up to intergalactic, the mystery was solved for everyone working on my floor.
Sometimes it's better not to engage your friends at work in conversations about clitori.
This is just further proof about how I suck at small talk.
Labels: awkwardness
posted by Marinka at
12:01 AM
22 Comments:
Clitori is my new favorite word ever. In the history of the universe.
OMG - why don't you accidentally email this blog to your whole office while you are at it. Just to add a little icing to the cake ya know.
I'm wondering how that topic even came UP???
Hilarious! What a fabulous story to start the day.
I'm with Vodka Mom - the rest of the conversation sounds like another great post. Don't keep us in suspense...
Thanks for the LOL!!
Thanks for the laugh. I was imagining the far shot in the office as you played the sound file. At least it sounds all clinical the way that guy says it. He takes all the fun out of the word.
With all the others - dare I ask how you even started this conversation?!?!
BUT on the plus side - it provided your co-workers with some material for conversation at least one step up from small talk...
For the record - I have a hard time saying that word - period. I don't like this about myself. But I'm willing to admit it. In fact - I'm willing to admit a lot of embarassing things about myself (and did in my post today).
Ha! I am also wondering how this came up in conversation. Your office sounds fun.
I must have read the word clitoris years before actually hearing anyone say it (I'm not from one of those families where everyone runs around yelling out anatomically correct terms), and I guess I never bothered to sound it out phonetically... I still remember my surprise at learning it wasn't pronounced clor-I-tis. My next emotion? Relief I had never actually said it to anyone and exposed my ignorance.
Anymommy--it's hard to work that word into conversation, though!
WFB--great idea (and I'm sure that it's just a matter of time!)
Funny - I can't believe you played the audio loud enough for it to be heard by others. I am sure that started many interesting conversations!
Pudenda!
I had a friend in HS who used to shout that out at odd moments (what other kind of moments would they be?).
I saw him at recycling last Saturday and almost went up to him...
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAA!!! HAHAHAHHAHA!!!
Wow! Great office talk. I'd most definitely turn the speakers down now.
that is pretty funny !!! makes me think of seinfeld and dolares
I would absolutely get fired for that conversation! Love the new look, by the way!
this made me laugh out loud.
i hate small talk...
Ah, Clitoris. The weirdest word I can think of right now. Save for moist, which is weirder.
Yeah, moist is a weird word. I hate that word.
If I worked in your office, I would have just laughed quietly at the fact that your computer yelled clitoris at the whole office.
Now, I have to go hear how you are supposed to say it.
You crack me up! I saw your tweet asking how we pronounce it, but I was busy/lazy/stupid or something and didn't read this 'til now.
There is that moment of horror, isn't there, as soon as something starts to blare out of the speakers, when you realize how high the volume is and there's nothing you can do about it.
I just pissed my pants. Thanks!
I'll have to show my husb your post. He pronounces it "clitORis" .. I had at least thought this would be listed as an alternative pronunciation.
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