Problematic words — the bane of my existence. My first encounter with these vile and vicious creatures occurred when I was in eighth grade. Oh, how the bright fluorescent lights of the cafeteria glared down at my group of friends while someone mentioned the word "salmon." In that particular moment, order became chaos, leading to a week's worth of arguments. Though these disagreements were suppressed and eventually faded out with time, it was recently brought up in a conversation, two years later. No, the war for what is right isn't over; it is only beginning. I have enlisted the help of a good friend, the Merriam-Webster, and we, my friends, will rise victorious.
1. Acai
The duel: ack-ai v. ah-sah-ee
The victor: ah-sah-ee
2. Asterisk
The duel: as-trick v. as-ter-isk
The victor: as-ter-isk
3. Aunt
The duel: on-t v. ant
The victor: ant
4. Cache
The duel: ca-shay v. cash
The victor: cash
5. Caramel
The duel: ca-ra-mel v. car-mel
The victor: car-mel
6. Candidate
The duel: can-duh-dit v. can-di-date
The victor: can-di-date
7. Coupon
The duel: qu-pon v. coo-pon
The victor: coo-pon
8. Crayon
The duel: cray-on v. crown
The victor: cray-on
9. Data
The duel: day-ta v. da-ta
The victor: day-ta
10. Epitome
The duel: epi-tome v. epi-toe-mi
The victor: epi-toe-mi
11. February
The duel: Feb-rary v. Feb-u-ary
The victor: Feb-u-ary
12. GIF
The duel: gif (hard g) v. jif
The victor: gif (hard g)
13. Gyro
The duel: he-ro v. ji-ro v. guy-ro v. yee-ro
The victor: ji-ro
14. Jewelry
The duel: jewl-ry v. jewl-er-ry
The victor: jewl-ry
15. Library
The duel: li-brary v. li-berry
The victor: li-brary
16. Mayonnaise
The duel: mayo-knees v. man-nays
The victor: man-nays
17. Milk
The duel: mil-k v. mel-k
The victor: mil-k
18. Mischievous
The duel: mis-chee-vee-us v. mis-che-vus
The victor: mis-che-vus
19. Nutella
The duel: new-tell-a v. nut-el-la
The victor: new-tell-a
20. Often
The duel: off-en v. oft-en
The victor: off-en
21. Pajama
The duel: pa-jam-a v. pa-jah-ma
The victor: pa-jah-ma
22. Pecan
The duel: pea-can v. pe-khan
The victor: pe-khan
23. Poem
The duel: poe-um v. poe-em
The victor: poe-um
24. Potato
The duel: po-tay-to v. po-tah-to
The victor: po-tay-to
25. Route
The duel: root v. row-t
The victor: root
26. Salmon
The duel: sal-mon v. san-man
The victor: san-man
27. Sawyer
The duel: soy-er v. saw-yer
The victor: soy-er
28. Sherbet
The duel: shor-bay v. sher-bet
The victor: sher-bet
29. Tomato
The duel: to-may-to v. to-mah-to
The victor: to-may-to
