All Ears English Podcast AEE 2520: Pesky Prefixes, Part 3: Irrefutably Difficult Vocabulary
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Nov 26, 2025 Dive into the world of tricky prefixes like ir- and in-. Explore why English favors 'irr' before 'r' for smoother pronunciation. Discover the nuances of words like 'irreparable' and 'irreplaceable' while learning their common pitfalls. Unravel the meaning of 'irrefutable' with examples to illustrate its everyday use. Get a helpful reminder to ditch 'irregardless' for 'regardless.' Plus, enjoy a fun role-play showcasing these ir- words in conversation!
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Pet Peeve: Irregardless Annoys Aubrey
- Aubrey shares a personal pet peeve about the word irregardless and how it grates on her.
- She notes it's become more common in the U.S. and bothers her despite usually not minding grammar errors.
Why IR/IRR Replaces IN Before R
- The IR/IRR prefix functions like IN but changes for ease of pronunciation before R-starting words.
- This explains why English uses irreparable instead of inreparable or unrepairable.
Learn Irreparable, Not Unrepairable
- Learn irreparable as a distinct word with different spelling and stress than repairable.
- Pronounce it as irreparable and avoid saying unrepairable in American English contexts.