Articulation refers to the clear and precise shaping of sounds by the lips, tongue, jaw, and palate in speech. It also denotes the distinct manner in which phonemes are produced within a language system, or the act of forming words in speech. In practice, articulation encompasses how cleanly you enunciate consonants and vowels to convey meaning and intention, from precise segmental production to overall intelligibility.
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"Her articulation during the presentation was flawless, making every term easy to understand."
"The musician emphasized articulation to distinguish staccato notes from legato phrasing."
"In language therapy, improving articulation can help clients be better understood by others."
"The actor’s articulation was flawless, allowing even subtle dialogue to be clearly heard on stage."
Articulation comes from the Latin articulatio, from articulus meaning a small joint or component of speech. The root articul- is tied to joint or connected parts, echoing how speech segments connect to form words. In late Latin and medieval Latin, articulatio took on the sense of ‘jointing’ or ‘articulation’ in anatomical and grammatical contexts. In English, articulation first appeared in the 15th century referring to jointing or the act of joining, and by the 18th–19th centuries it gained specialized senses in phonetics and rhetoric, describing the precise shaping of speech sounds and the clear formation of syllables and words. Over time, the term broadened to include both physical articulation (mechanics of speech organs) and abstract articulation (clear expression and enunciation).
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Words that rhyme with "articulation"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˌɑːr.tɪ.kjuˈleɪ.ʃən/ in US English, with primary stress on the third syllable: ar-ti-cu-LA-tion. The initial 'ar' is like 'are' without the final r coloring, the 'ti' is a short tick, and the 'cu' blends into a 'kyoo' sound before 'lay'. The final 'tion' sounds like 'shun' in many dialects; you can ease into /-ʃən/. Pay attention to the /t/ becoming a clear alveolar stop and the /lj/ liaison in 'li' if speaking fluidly.
Common mistakes: misplacing stress (putting it on the wrong syllable), softening the /t/ or turning it into a /d/, and flattening the /juː/ into a simple /uː/ or /ju/ sequence. Correct by targeting the syllable with primary stress (ˌɑːr.tɪ.kjuˈleɪ.ʃən), ensuring a crisp alveolar /t/ followed by the palatal /j/ to form /tjuː/ before /ˈleɪ/. Practice with the sequence ar-ti-cu-la-tion, emphasizing the /juː/ cluster clearly and keeping the final /ʃən/ as a light, quick lift.
US: rhotic; /ˌɑːˌrtɪkjuˈleɪʃən/ with a clear /r/. UK: non-rhotic or weak rhotic, /ˌɑː.tɪ.kjuˈleɪ.ʃən/ with a lighter /r/ and broader vowel. AU: similar to UK but often flatter vowels and a slightly shortened final syllable, /ˌɑːˌtɪkjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/. The main differences are rhoticity, vowel quality, and the speed of syllable transitions. In US you’ll hear a more pronounced /r/ and smoother /juː/; in UK you may hear clearer syllable boundaries; in AU you may notice more centralized vowels and a tendency toward flatter intonation in formal speech.
This word challenges because of the multi-syllabic structure and the cluster /tjuː/ that follows /k/ and leads into /leɪ/. The tongue must move quickly from alveolar to palatal placement, with precise lip rounding for /juː/ and air flow through the dental/alveolar region for /t/. Coarticulation effects can blur boundaries in fluent speech, so you need deliberate practice of the transitions from /t/ to /j/ and from /j/ to /l/. Practicing slow, controlled enunciation helps solidify correct tongue and lip positions.
Unique focus: the /tjuː/ sequence is pivotal. Ensure you articulate /t/ as a crisp alveolar stop, then immediately blend into /j/ to form /tjuː/. The /juː/ should cohere with the next syllable, avoiding a separate separate /j/ sound. Also, maintain the /æ/ or /ɑː/ depending on accent in the first syllable and keep the stress guide in mind. Keeping the main stress on the ante-penultimate or penultimate syllable depending on the variety will influence how you shape the other sounds.
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