All the ways Harry Potter fans mispronounced Hermione
If you pronounced Hermione’s name wrong when you read the Harry Potter books, you’re not alone.
J.K. Rowling addressed the widely mispronounced character name on Twitter Friday, responding to another tweet which read, “Never make fun of people for mispronouncing a word. It means they learned it by reading.”
A fan responded, saying “Thank you @jk_rowling for teaching me how to say Hermione in the Goblet of Fire. Before then I always said it ‘HER-may-OWN.'”
In the Goblet of Fire scene referred to, Hermione instructs Victor Krum (and readers) on how to say her name. “Her – my – oh – nee,’ she said, slowly and clearly,'” Rowling writes.
Rowling also revealed that her favorite mispronunciation was “Hermy – won,” and this kicked off a flurry of tweets as fans shared the many different ways they mispronounced the name. The results are incredibly varied and very funny. From “Her-me-oh-nee” to “Her-moan-y,” see the responses below:
"Never make fun of people for mispronouncing a word. It means they learned it by reading."
— Morgan Housel (@morganhousel) January 11, 2017
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— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 12, 2017
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So thank you @jk_rowling for teaching me how to say Hermione in the Goblet of Fire. Before then I always said it "HER-may-OWN"
— Paul Walker (@Nemesis47AT) January 13, 2017
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My favourite mispronunciation of 'Hermione' was 'Hermy – won.' It suited her! https://t.co/zNmMS9GAq6
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling Harry Potter was mine and my brother's bedtime story when we were tiny, my mum called her 'Hermy-own' for years until the films!
— Meg (@megsaystweet) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling I remember pronouncing it her-me-oh-nee. But I think that's forgivable since it was the first book I ever voluntarily read!
— Daniel Jackson (@danieljksn) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling@Nemesis47AT I first read it as "her-moyne"
— Steph❄️ (@neverletyoupart) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling My mom always read it as "Her-minion"…
— Mika (@mikagredegard) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling little Portuguese me used to pronounce it "errmee-on"
tough times
— Valentina ☕ (@ValsCappuccino) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling in Brazil we say "Ermy-oni"
— Arthur Weasley (@Weasley_dad) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling @Nemesis47AT it was hermy-owny for me!!
— Georgie Abashvilli (@afterdarks) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling@Nemesis47AT when I was 9 & first started reading the books I used to say "err-me-own", with a very strong spanish accent
— camilín ✈ (@camidelpo) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling My Dad and I always said it Hermy-own, but my brother called her Herm-oine! :O
— Elissa (@ElissaGow) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling @Nemesis47AT @cockaaz herm I one
— Liv (@OliviaCockerham) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling My mum still can't pronounce it (Her-moan-y, usually) although I'm not sure she isn't just winding me up!
— SomeCallMeLaz (@SomeCallMeLaz) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling @Nemesis47AT haha. I always pronounced it as Her-mo-in.
— Stand4Peace✌ (@Aannad15) January 13, 2017
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@jk_rowling mine was Hermy own ay
— Aido (@LeWookieGooner) January 13, 2017
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And one amazing fan actually pronounced it correctly all along:
@jk_rowling Thankfully I had Hermione Gingold so I was prepared for proper pronunciation
— Michael Crawford (@MiklCraw4d) January 13, 2017