Alteration refers to the act or process of changing something from its original state or form. It can denote a modification, deviation, or adjustment that alters function, appearance, or meaning. In various contexts, alteration implies intentional, often measured change rather than complete transformation.
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US: /æl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/; rhotic speakers may maintain a stronger rhotic influence on surrounding vowels. UK: /ɔːl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/; non-rhotic, with longer back vowel /ɔː/, and often a crisper /t/ release. AU: /ɔːl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/; similar to UK but with Australian vowel merging tendencies and a slightly more relaxed /t/. Vowel shift, duration, and consonant clarity differ; emphasis remains on the /ˈreɪ/ while ensuring /ʃən/ is smooth but distinct. Reference IPA in each: US æ, UK ɔː, AU ɔː, with /ˈreɪ/ stressed across all.
"The tailor made an alteration to the dress to ensure it fit perfectly."
"Her alteration of plans after the weather forecast changed the schedule."
"The experiment showed a subtle alteration in the data trends."
"The lawyer argued that the wording of the contract required alteration before signing."
Alteration originates from the late Latin alteration-, alteratio, from the verb alterare, meaning to change or modify. Alterare itself comes from the Latin alter, meaning other or the other of two, which ultimately tracks back to the Proto-Indo-European root *al- meaning ‘beyond, other.’ In English, alteration appeared in the 14th–15th centuries, initially in legal and formal writing to describe changes in documents or conditions. Over time, its usage broadened to refer to any modification, whether physical (a dress alteration) or abstract (alteration of plans, data, or conditions). The word’s morphology includes the suffix -ation, turning the verb alter into a noun denoting the act, result, or process of changing. The pronunciation has followed typical English stress patterns for noun formations from multi-syllabic roots, with primary stress on the third syllable in many varieties where it is pronounced al-ter-ATION. First known uses appear in medieval legal and ecclesiastical texts where precise wording and modifications to agreements were common, later expanding into everyday language as processes of modification became more common in technology, science, and law.
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Words that rhyme with "alteration"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Break it into syllables: al-ter-ation. Primary stress lands on the last syllable: al-ter-ation → al-ter-AY-shən (IPA US: æl.təˈreɪ.ʃən). Mouth positions: start with a relaxed æ/ă in the first syllable, then a clear schwa or reduced vowel in the second, and a stressed /ˈreɪ/ for the third, ending with /ʃən/. Tip: emphasize -ATION without tensing your tongue.
Two hinge errors: (1) Stressed misplacement, pronouncing al-TE-ration or al-terr-AY-shn. (2) Merging the -tion into a quick ‘-shun’ without the proper /ˈreɪ/ beam. Correction: keep the /reɪ/ close to the third syllable and articulate /ʃ/ clearly before the ending /ən/. Practice saying al- ter- AY- shən with a subtle pause before the final nasal.
US tends to /æl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/ with a clear /ˈreɪ/ and rhoticity in surrounding vowels. UK generally /ɔːl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/ with a longer mid-back /ɔː/ and non-rhotic /r/. Australian often /ɔːl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/ with broad vowel quality and a clear /t/ release; some speakers may adopt a light /ˈreɪ/ followed by a softer /ʃən/. Keep /reɪ/ stressed and ensure non-rhoticity in UK when appropriate.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure with three distinct vowels and the peak /ˈreɪ/ in the third syllable. The /t/ is often flapped or glottalized in rapid speech; the /ʃ/ must be sharp before the final /ən/. Coordinating a clear /ˈreɪ/ while keeping the other vowels reduced requires careful timing and muscular coordination in the tongue and lips.
In careful speech, the second syllable is typically a schwa or a reduced vowel (tə). You’ll hear the sequence as al-tə-ˈreɪ.ʃən, with the middle vowel softened and not stressed. This contrasts with exaggerating the middle vowel in casual speech where it might sound like al-tar-AY-shən. IPA cues: æl.təˈreɪ.ʃən; mention the reduced second syllable.
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