I have been an avid reader and word geek for as long as I can remember. My Nanny read to me, got me started on word search puzzles and taught me how to play Scrabble. As a result, any opportunity to utilize my vocabulary excites me like crazy!

I often know how to use a word in it’s correct context, but sometimes I get in trouble, and have to go running for the nearest dictionary or thesaurus to explain it’s meaning.

If you’re anything like me, you often know what word you’re trying to use, but aren’t quite sure of it’s pronunciation. This is where howjsay.com comes in.

Created by Tim Bowyer, this unique site offers a useful service, particularly to those currently immersed in Web 2.0.  As people create videos to post online, they can be certain that they are not only saying the word properly, but can also look up definitions at dictionary.com, find alternate words at thesaurus.com or  facts at reference.com.  No one wants to sound stupid while positioning oneself as an authority!

From “Notes on Using This Dicitonary:

“Enter the word you want and when it appears in pink, mouse over it to hear it spoken as often as you want.  Each word is individually pre-recorded and no form of synthetic speech is used. “

“Profane language and erotica are excluded from the dictionary in the interests of child learners.”

“Howjsay shows the closest cluster of letters that it has to your request – for example “furious” used to return “curious”.  Accents are not recognised, nor are distinctions between upper and lower case.”

My brother, Michael said, “It’s so much more fun to say stuff wrong though!”. It certainly does make for interesting conversations, but as for me, I’d rather say it right.

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