3 syllables: ba, kers, field. Stress on ba.
BAY-kurz-feeld
/ˈbeɪkɚˌzfild/
bakersfield is pronounced BAY-kurz-feeld (/ˈbeɪkɚˌzfild/). It has three syllables (ba-kers-field), with the stress on "ba". Bakersfield is a proper noun, most commonly a city name in California, though it can refer to a place-origin surname or a brand-inspired term. It denotes a specific geographic locale and, by extension, its cultural associations. In casual use, it may appear in discussions of travel, regional news, or music, preserving a proper-noun capitalization.
Bakersfield is a proper noun, most commonly a city name in California, though it can refer to a place-origin surname or a brand-inspired term. It denotes a specific geographic locale and, by extension, its cultural associations. In casual use, it may appear in discussions of travel, regional news, or music, preserving a proper-noun capitalization.
"I’m flying to Bakersfield next week for the conference."
"The Bakersfield sound is often linked to 1960s country rock."
"She grew up near Bakersfield and still loves the desert climate."
Pronounce as BEY-kurz-field, with primary stress on BEY- (the first syllable). IPAUS: /ˈbeɪ.kərzˌfiːld/ in US; UK: /ˈbeɪ.kəzˌfiːld/; AU: /ˈbeɪ.kəzˌfiːld/. The middle syllable has a schwa-like or reduced vowel in many American varieties, yielding /ˈbeɪ.kərz.fild/ in fast speech. Slow, clear enunciation follows: BEY-kərz-FIELD, ensuring the 'field' portion ends with a light 'd' release.
Two common errors: (1) Losing the second syllable by slurring the r-controlled vowel /ər/ into a quick /ə/; keep a distinct /kər/ rather than a flat /kər/. (2) Misplacing stress or muting the trailing -field; ensure primary stress on BEY- and secondary stress on -FIELD to capture the natural rhythm. Practice with slow speech: /ˈbeɪ.kərzˌfiːld/ and then speed up while maintaining the two-phoneme rhythm.
US tends to preserve /ˈbeɪ.kɚz/ with a rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable and a clearer /fiːld/ for -field. UK often reduces /kərz/ to /kəz/ and may soften the final /d/ slightly, sounding /ˈbeɪ.kəzˌfiːld/. Australian typically mirrors the US with a rhotic emphasis on the middle syllable and similar final /fiːld/; vowels may be more centralized, producing /ˈbeɪ.kəzˌfiːld/.
The difficulty lies in the cluster across two syllables: /ˈbeɪ.kərz/ connecting to /ˌfiːld/, plus the 'r' vowel in the middle can become schwa-like in fast speech, leading to /ˈbeɪ.kərz.fɪld/ or /ˈbeɪ.kəz.fɪld/. The sequence of /-ərz-/ before a stressed /fiːld/ requires careful rhythm and tongue positioning to avoid vocalic mergers and to preserve the 'z' sound linking to the 'fiːld'.
Yes— the transition between the middle syllable /kərz/ and the final /fiːld/ can encourage a linking 'z' to 'f', so you may hear /ˈbeɪ.kərzˌfiːld/ with a subtle /z/ before /f/. Keeping the middle /r/ and /z/ distinct before the /f/ helps avoid a slurred /zf/ cluster. Practice by isolating the two syllables: /kərz/ then /fiːld/, ensuring a clean boundary.
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Bakersfield originated as a toponymic name in California, combining the English occupation noun baker with the suffix -field, a common element in place names. The earliest settlers in California used Bakersfield to describe a field where bakers or bread makers were associated, possibly as a descriptive label for a farmstead or a settlement near a productive field. The term evolved as a placename during the 19th century as the region developed around agriculture and rail transport. The modern city of Bakersfield was incorporated in 1873, and the name has since been embedded in regional identity and cultural references, including the famous Bakersfield Sound in country music, which helped globalize the term beyond its literal origin. The usage as a geographical tag remains the dominant meaning, though it can appear in branding or as a surname when families trace lineage to the area. First known usages appear in early settlement records and land grants that labeled plots of land near Bakersfield as belonging to or managed by bakers or fields, cementing the etymology in both occupation and geography.
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Words that rhyme with "bakersfield"
-eld sounds
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