# 500. English spelling is confusing. Here's proof (native speaker fails!)

An episode of [The InFluency Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1492946397), 17 Feb 2026, 4:59.

Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/04a086b6-3695-4e90-ab43-c4d5b1424897/500._English_spelling_is_confusing._Heres_proof_native_speaker_fails.mp3?dest-id=4554797

Have you seen that trend going around on social media where native speakers share a word they mispronounced once… and it still haunts them years later? Today we're turning those viral confessions into a pronunciation lesson 🙈 You'll learn how to pronounce Hepatitis, chihuahua, paradigm, fatigue, stomachaches, Yosemite, Arkansas, Connecticut, chaos, elbow, and manslaughter. I'll explain where the primary stress goes, why some letters are silent, how American pronunciation changes certain sounds, why English spelling can be so confusing and why even native speakers get it wrong! Here's the truth: English is not a phonetic language. You cannot always guess the pronunciation from the spelling. That is exactly why mispronunciations happen. And not just to non-native speakers. If you want more lessons on pronunciation, fluency, and building confidence in English, make sure to subscribe to my FREE Accent Crash Course! https://bit.ly/3BnPC0S

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