Less than half of people in the UK can properly pronounce the word 'croissant', according to a new study. A survey of 2,000 adults found 44% were confident they could correctly say the name of the European pastry - with nearly two thirds, or 60%, believing this hesitancy reflects a wider nervousness around pronouncing words in foreign languages.
One in three of those who took part in the poll, by language app Duolingo, said the croissant was their favourite continental treat, beating the likes of the pancake (25%) and muffin (20%). However, two in five (41%) admitted they feel embarrassed when ordering a croissant in a coffee shop, and one in ten (11%) said they feel nervous at the prospect of getting it wrong.
Among the survey's other findings, 41% said they had heard croissant pronounced so many ways, they expected to be judged regardless of their attempts. Over a quarter (29%) found the French language difficult to pronounce in general, while almost a third (31%) said they find it ‘a bit of an ick’ when they hear others pronounce the word incorrectly.
Dr Cindy Blanco, Duolingo’s senior learning scientist, said: "Nailing perfect French pronunciation can be challenging, since many French sounds simply don’t exist in English.
"For Brits looking to order their favourite pastry with French pronunciation, here’s a quick tip: focus on the sounds of the word instead of its spelling. Try breaking it into “kwa” and “sone” - like “song” just without the “ng” at the end. Don’t worry if your pronunciation isn’t perfect. What’s important is giving your new language skills some practice."
