Misutter

To utter something incorrectly, whether in pronunciation, phrasing, or factual content. This encompasses errors in spoken or written communication, where the speaker or writer conveys a message that is flawed or unintentionally misrepresents information. The act of misuttering can range from a simple slip of the tongue to a deliberate act of deception, but always involves a deviation from accuracy or intended meaning. It underlines the importance of precision and clarity in communication, and the potential consequences of conveying flawed statements. Often the misuttering causes misunderstanding, confusion or potentially even harm.

Misutter meaning with examples

• During the live broadcast, the news anchor, flustered by a sudden technical difficulty, began to misutter the name of the state, drawing laughter from his colleagues. It became an inside joke for weeks. He tried to correct it on the fly, but it only seemed to get worse. The pressure of the moment caused a complete collapse in articulation.
• The witness, under cross-examination, began to misutter crucial details of the event, changing the order of facts which contradicted his previous statements. The lawyer quickly capitalized on the error to plant seeds of doubt regarding the witness's credibility. The changing story significantly harmed his testimony.
• The politician, attempting to be folksy, began to misutter common phrases in the local dialect, making a fool of themselves. The audience cringed, immediately recognizing his feigned attempt at connection. His attempt at gaining favor backfired spectacularly, further alienating his core voter base.
• In his haste, the translator began to misutter the meaning of the document, changing the intent of its main thrust. The foreign government was quite insulted, and negotiations stalled because of the miscommunication that the translation issue caused. The miscommunication caused a diplomatic crisis that went on for days.