Analemma (n.) a figure-eight path traced by the sun or a celestial body in the sky when observed from a fixed location over the course of a year; it also refers to the diagram showing this path, used in astronomy and sundial studies. The term, rooted in geometry and celestial mechanics, conveys the pattern produced by the combination of Earth's rotation and its orbit around the Sun.
- Misplacing stress: Say an-a-LEM-ma vs. ana-LEM-ma. Decide the nucleus of the word and keep the third syllable strongest. - Over-articulating the middle vowel: Don’t stretch the second syllable; use a quick, neutral /ə/ to avoid a bouncy rhythm. - Slurring the final -ma: End with a clear /mə/ and stop before it, so you don’t create a trailing vowel. - Confusing with similar terms: Don’t say ‘lemma’ as a different science word; keep /ˈlɛm.ə/ as a single syllable group. - In rapid speech, the syllable boundaries blur; practice slow, then accelerate while preserving the three-beat rhythm.
- US: Retain rhoticity in longer phrases but Analemma itself is non-rhotic; ensure final /ə/ breathy close; keep /æ/ in the first syllable. - UK: Slightly more clipped middle syllable; the /ə/ can be centralized; maintain /ˈlɛm/ with a crisp /l/ and less vowel reduction in the final syllable. - AU: Similar to UK, but Australians may compress vowels more; keep the final /ə/ clear and avoid over-reducing the middle /ə/. IPA references: US /ˌæ.nəˈlɛm.mə/, UK /ˌæ.nəˈlɛm.ə/, AU /ˌæ.nəˈlɛm.mə/.
"- The analemma is the figure-eight shape you see if you photograph the Sun at the same time every day for a year."
"- Astronomers use the analemma to correct solar time in sundial observations."
"- The guidebook includes a diagram of the analemma to explain solar declination."
"- Hobbyists plotted an analemma to compare sun positions across seasons."
Analemma comes from the Greek analemmos (from ana-, up, + lemmos, take up or a line) and ultimately from Greek root lemnōn ‘to take up/assume a line’. The term appeared in the 17th–18th centuries in astronomical writings to describe the figure-eight path traced by the Sun in the sky when plotted against the time of day and year. Early astronomers used the analemma diagram to reconcile sundial time with mean solar time, highlighting the Solar day’s uneven length caused by Earth’s tilt and orbital eccentricity. The word is formed with the combining form -grama/-gramma meaning ‘something written or drawn’ in Greek, which extended metaphorically to this plotted curve. First known uses appear in Latinized or Greek-influenced scientific texts of the early modern period, often in discussions of solar declination, meridian altitude, and sundial construction. Over time, analemma has become standard in astronomy and geodesy for describing this persistent, recurring pattern rather than a physical object. Today, the term is common in textbooks, astronomy software, and sundial communities. While originally emphasizing a two-dimensional plot, the concept has extended to discussions of celestial mechanics, timekeeping, and observational cosmology, preserving the term as a precise label for the nine-point figure-eight curve.
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Words that rhyme with "Analemma"
-nna sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You say /ˌæ.nəˈlɛm.ə/ (US) or /ˌæ.nəˈlem.ə/ (UK/AU) with three syllables and the primary stress on the third syllable: an-a-LLEM-ma. Start with an open short a, then a neutral schwa in the second syllable, and a bright e in the stressed syllable before -ma. Keep the lips relaxed, the tongue high-mid for the final -ə, and the /l/ clear but not heavy. Audio reference: listen to standard dictionaries or pronunciation platforms for the /ˌæ.nəˈlem.ə/ pattern.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (often saying an-a-LEM-ma as equal stress), mispronouncing the stress AVP as /ˌeɪˈnɛlɛmə/ or '/ˌæ.nəˈleɪ.mə/'. Another error is conflating the middle vowel to a clear schwa or mispronouncing the final -ma as /mə/ instead of /mə/. Correct by practicing as three quick syllables: /ˌæ.nəˈlɛm.ə/; keep the second syllable unstressed and the third strongly stressed. Use minimal pairs to train the /l/ and /m/ transitions.
In US, the primary stress is on the third syllable: /ˌæ.nəˈlɛm.mə/. UK and AU share the same three-syllable rhythm but can slightly reduce the second syllable to a weaker schwa, sounding /ˌæ.nəˈlemə/. US rhoticity makes the final /-ɹ/ absent here, but rhotic accents may influence the vowel quality before it. Overall, the main variation is vowel quality in the middle and final vowels; the strong stress on the third syllable remains consistent.
The challenge lies in the three-syllable structure with a non-intuitive second syllable and a stressed, closed syllable in /ˈlɛm.ə/. The middle vowel tends toward a reduced vowel, while the final /-ma/ ends with a nasal vowel that can blur in rapid speech. Additionally, the letter sequence -lemma can be misread as related to ‘lemma’ in mathematics. Practice by isolating the syllables and using a three-beat rhythm: a-nə-LEM-ma.
The word’s accent pattern places primary stress on the penultimate syllable in many pronunciations, with a light first syllable and a strong third. This is influenced by the Greek-derived stress tendencies of scientific terms. The tricky part is keeping the middle syllable compact (/nə/) while delivering a crisp /lɛm/ onset for the stressed syllable. Emphasize the /l/ and /m/ transitions to avoid a vague middle.
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- Shadowing: Listen to a native pronouncer (dictionary app/Pronounce, YouTube) and repeat in real time, matching the three-syllable rhythm. - Minimal pairs: contrast /æ/ vs /ə/ in the second syllable; practice with: ‘analemma’ vs ‘anagram’? Not a good pair; choose: /ən/ vs /æ/ for first two syllables and /lɛm/ vs /lɛm/ for the stress. - Rhythm practice: Tap a 3-beat cycle (a-nə-LĔM-ma) and then speak at 60 BPM, 90 BPM, 120 BPM to maintain proportional timings. - Stress drills: Focus on the third syllable, produce held /ɛ/ or /e/ to ensure the vowel’s clarity. - Recording: Use a phone or mic; compare to dictionaries; adjust mouth positioning.
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