How to Pronounce PRONUNCIATION

Video Transcript:

In this American English pronunciation video, we’re going to go over the pronunciation of the word ‘pronunciation’.

This week’s Word of the Week is ‘pronunciation’.  ‘Pronunciation’ is a noun, and sometimes people will mix up the pronunciation between this and the verb ‘pronounce’.  Pronounce, pronun-.  So the second syllable should have the UH vowel and not the OW diphthong.  It’s a five-syllable word with a secondary stress on the second syllable and primary stress on the fourth syllable.  Pro-nun-ci-a-tion.  Pronunciation.

It begins with the PR consonant cluster, so the lips are together, pr-, and the tongue is in position for the R, pr-, pr-, pronun-.  We have the schwa in that first, unstressed syllable.  Then the next syllable, with secondary stress, we have the N consonant sound.  So the tongue will lift, and touch the roof of the mouth here, pronun-.  Then we have the UH as in BUTTER sound.  Everything is relaxed.  The tongue isn’t engaged, the lips aren’t engaged.  The jaw drops a bit.  Pronun-, pronun-.  To finish the syllable, the tongue comes back up to the roof of the mouth for another N.  Pronun-.  Then we have another unstressed syllable:  -si-, -si-, -si-.  The S consonant sound and the EE as in SHE vowel.  Pronunci-, pronunci-.  Now we have the primarily stressed syllable:  pronuncia-.  It has the AY as in SAY diphthong.  The jaw does need to drop a good bit for that sound.  Pronunciation.  Then we have the SH, schwa, N unstressed final syllable.  -tion, -tion.  It will be very fast.  -tion, -tion.  And you don’t need to worry about making a separate schwa sound.  The N takes over the schwa sound a bit.  -tion, -tion.  Pronunciation.  Pronunciation.

Your pronunciation is very good.

That’s it, your Word of the Week.  Try it out yourself.  Make up a sentence with the word, record it, and post it as a video response to this video on YouTube.  I can’t wait to watch it.

That’s it, and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.