Arguments refers to reasons or evidence advanced in support of or against a proposition, often presented in a disagreement or debate. It can also denote the act of presenting reasons formally in a discussion. The term encompasses logical claims, counterclaims, and the process of persuading others through rational discourse. In everyday speech, “arguments” can describe vocal disputes or more structured debates.
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- You focus too much on the vowel in the middle syllable at the expense of the final consonant cluster. Ensure you finish with a crisp /nts/ rather than a soft /nts/ or /nts/ with a strong /z/. - You merge /ɡj/ into a single soft click; keep /ɡ/ and /j/ distinct. - Your stress shifts to the second syllable in rapid speech, which weakens the message. Keep primary stress on the first syllable: AR-gyu-ments. - Final /nts/ can turn into a nasalized ending; keep it sharp with a light release. Tips: practice with minimal pairs like “garage” vs “argue-ments” to isolate /ɡ/ and /j/; rehearse the two sounds separately, then fuse them. - For rapid speech, use a small pause or slower tempo before the final /nts/ to maintain clarity.
- US: Pronounce the /ɹ/ clearly and maintain a rounded, tense mouth for the /ɑː/ vowel; keep a stronger /ɹ/ before the /ɡ/ cluster. - UK: Slightly more non-rhotic; drop the post-vocalic /r/ and maintain a back rounded articulation for /ɑː/; ensure /ɡj/ remains audible. - AU: Similar to UK but with a broader diphthong in /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the middle; often less pronounced final /nts/ and more vowel lenition in connected speech. IPA references: US /ˈɑːrɡ.jə.mənts/, UK /ˈɑːɡ.jə.mənz/, AU /ˈɑːɡ.jʊ.mənts/ (approx). - Focus on tongue position: tip of the tongue at the alveolar ridge for /t/ or /n/; for /ɡ/ keep it back and firm; for /j/ raise the middle of the tongue toward the hard palate; lips slightly rounded for /ɑː/.
"The lawyer presented several strong arguments for her client’s innocence."
"We spent the afternoon in a friendly argument about which movie to watch."
"Her arguments against the proposal were well-reasoned and persuasive."
"During the meeting, he made compelling arguments to support the budget increase."
The word arguments comes from Middle English argumenten, from theOld French argumenter, based on Latin argumentum ‘proof, evidence, argument’ from arguere ‘to make clear, point out, prove’. The Latin root arg-, ars (to shine, to make clear) plus the suffix -mentum (instrument, result) forms the sense of something used to demonstrate or prove. In classical rhetoric, argumentum referred to a proof or reason offered in support of a claim. By the late Middle Ages, English adopted argument more specifically to mean a reasoned line of reasoning presented in discourse. Over time, plural arguments gained usage to denote multiple lines of reasoning or disputes between parties. The modern sense in everyday English spans formal logical reasoning, persuasive discourse, and informal quarrels, with emphasis shifting between formal rhetorical structures and colloquial disagreement. First known use in English appears in the 15th century, aligning with Latin and French borrowings as English legal and scholastic language absorbed logic and debate terminology. The plural form arguments has long been associated with debates, courtroom reasoning, and academic essays, reflecting the blend of logical structure and social discourse inherent in human argumentation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "arguments" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "arguments" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "arguments"
-ges sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as AR-gyu-ments, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈɑːrɡ.jə.mənts/, UK /ˈɑːɡ.jə.mənz/, AU /ˈɑːɡ.jʊ.mənz/. Begin with the open back vowel /ɑː/ like in “father,” then /r/ (rhotic US), followed by /ɡ/ and /j/ as in “you,” a schwa for the second syllable, and final /mənts/ where /ə/ reduces and /nts/ ends clearly. In careful speech, avoid blending /ɡjə/ into a single sound; keep /ɡ/ and /j/ distinct.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing the primary stress (e.g., ar-GU-ments). 2) Slurring /ɡj/ into /ɡj/ as a single consonant cluster (g + y). 3) Mispronouncing the final /nts/ as /nts/ without a clear vowel before, or making /ə/ too weak. Correction: hold the /ɡ/ firmly, insert a distinct /j/ as in “you” after /ɡ/, keep the middle schwa clear, and pronounce the final /nts/ with a crisp /n/ plus a light /t/ and /s/. 5
US: rhotic; clear /ɹ/ and flap-like /ɾ/ not typical in this word; /ˈɑːrɡ.jə.mənts/. UK: non-rhotic; /ˈɑːɡ.jə.mənz/ with a stronger avoidance of rhotic /r/ before vowels; AU: similar to UK but with vowel quality shifts and a tendency toward non-rhoticity in careful speech, sometimes slight /ə/ reductions. Overall, US tends to preserve /ɹ/ and a more precise /nts/ ending; UK/AU show reduced final /z/ or /nts/ sound and vowel adjustments in the second syllable.
Because it has a three-syllable rhythm with a mid word /j/ consonant cluster /ɡ.jə/ and a final /mənts/ that combines a schwa with a nasal plus a voiceless plosive. The rapid transition from /ɡ/ to /j/ to a reduced vowel is tricky, as is maintaining the first-syllable stress while not letting the middle vowel collapse. Focused practice on juxtapositions using IPA helps.
Is the middle /j/ in 'arguments' the same as the 'y' in 'you' or a softer /j/? Answer: It’s the consonant /j/ sound, like in 'yacht', not a vowel. It occurs after /ɡ/ in /ɡ.jə/ and requires the tongue to approximate the palate without creating a vowel between /ɡ/ and /j/. This small but important distinction helps avoid blending into /ɡ əm ents/ and keeps the crisp /j/ sound audible.
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- Shadowing: listen to short phrases that include 'arguments' and repeat exactly in real-time, matching rhythm and intonation. - Minimal pairs: compare 'arguments' with 'ar-guments' vs 'arguables' to isolate /ɡ/ and /j/. - Rhythm practice: practice syllable-timed rhythm; count beats: AR-gyu-ments (1-2-3). - Stress practice: emphasize the first syllable; do clapped pacing: 1 2 3. - Syllable drills: isolate each syllable: /ˈɑːr/ + /ɡjə/ + /mənts/ then blend. - Speed progression: start slow (very deliberate), normal (natural), fast (conversation pace) with a metronome set to 60-90 BPM; record and compare. - Intonation patterns: use a slight rise on the first syllable in questions or when introducing a new topic, then fall on the final syllable. - Recording: record yourself reading sentences containing 'arguments' to compare with reference recordings.
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