2 syllables: Caste Sys, tem. Stress on tem.
kast SIS-tuhm
/kæst ˈsɪstəm/
Caste System is pronounced kast SIS-tuhm (/kæst ˈsɪstəm/). It has two syllables (Caste Sys-tem), with the stress on "tem". As a noun, a social stratification system historically based on hereditary groups. It designates a rigid hierarchy that assigns people to particular duties, privileges, and restrictions, often linked to birth. The term typically refers to India’s traditional caste framework and, in broader use, to any inherited, hierarchical social structure.
nounA social stratification system historically based on hereditary groups. It designates a rigid hierarchy that assigns people to particular duties, privileges, and restrictions, often linked to birth. The term typically refers to India’s traditional caste framework and, in broader use, to any inherited, hierarchical social structure.
- You might merge the two words into a single phrase, losing the primary stress on each word. Practice by inserting a light pause between /ˈkæst/ and /ˈsɪstəm/. - Another frequent error is misplacing the secondary stress or softening /t/ into a flap; keep a crisp /t/ in /kæst/ and avoid flapping the final /t/. - A third issue is vowel reduction in /ɪst/; ensure the first vowel in the second word remains /ɪ/ (as in ‘sit’) rather than becoming /iː/ or /ɪə/ under hurried speech.
How to Pronounce Caste System
"The caste system in India organized society into distinct groups with specific roles."
"Scholars debated how colonialism affected the persistence of the caste system."
"Some critiques focus on how dismantling the caste system requires both policy and cultural shifts."
Pronounce as two stressed syllables: /ˈkæst/ /ˈsɪstəm/. The first word rhymes with 'fast,' ending with a hard /t/. The second word begins with a stressed /s/ and uses a short /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a schwa /ə/ in the final syllable: /ˈkæst ˈsɪ-stəm/. Tip: keep your tongue high for /æ/ and release the /t/ crisply; for /sɪstəm/, avoid a trailing post-vocalic vowel; end with a soft /m/.
Common errors include: (1) blending the words too tightly, making /ˈkæstˌsɪstəm/ sound like a single unit; (2) mispronouncing /æ/ as /ɜː/ or /eɪ/ in /ˈkæst/; (3) not clearly enunciating the final /m/ in /ˈsɪstəm/ or using a reduced vowel in /ˈsɪstəm/. Correction: pause slightly between words, keep /æ/ as in ‘cat,’ articulate /s/ before /ɪ/ crisply, and finish with a clear /m/.
US: /ˈkæst ˈsɪstəm/ with rhotic /r/ absence in non-rhotic? US is rhotic but /ˈkæst/ is unaffected; UK: /ˈkɑːst ˈsɪstəm/ with a longer, open back /ɑː/ in /kɑːst/; AU: /ˈkæst ˈsɪstəm/ similar to US but often slight vowel broadening in /æ/. Overall, stress stays on the first syllable of each word; vowel quality shifts reflect general rhoticity differences and vowel height.
Two main challenges: (1) the cluster /kst/ in /kæst/ tests quick plosive release plus a following /s/; keep /k/ release short and immediately transition to /s/; (2) the second word /ˈsɪstəm/ has a short /ɪ/ vowel before a schwa; ensure a clean syllable boundary and avoid reducing the /ɪ/ into a neighboring sound in fast speech. Practice with slow repetition, focus on transitional consonants.
Yes. The 'e' in 'caste' historically reflected the long 'a' sound in some spellings, but in modern English it functions as a short /æ/ vowel in American and most British pronunciations. The spelling doesn’t drive a silent letter here; the key is the /æ/ vowel in /kæst/. Don’t aspirate differently due to the silent-e rule. Focus on the /æ/ and the /st/ cluster.
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- US: rhotic, keep /r/ out of the two-word phrase; the /æ/ in /kæst/ tends to have bright front height; the /ɪ/ in /sɪstəm/ is shorter; Naturally pronounce /ˈsɪstəm/ with a crisp /st/ cluster. - UK: commonly a long /ɒ/ or broad /ɑː/ in /kɑːst/ depending on regional variation; retain length of /ɑː/ and a clear /s/ before /t/. The /ə/ in /təm/ can be weak but not omitted. - AU: similar to US but may feature broader diphthongs; keep the two-word boundary clear and avoid merging into a single syllable. - IPA references provide precise targets; practice with minimal pairs to train distinct vowels.
The term caste comes from the Portuguese caste, from Spanish casta, meaning lineage, race, or breed, ultimately rooted in the Latin castus meaning pure or pristine. Early English adoption used caste to refer to a hereditary social group, but the connection to purity and lineage reinforced caste boundaries. The word system derives from Latin systema, via French système, referring to a set of connected things or a method. The combined phrase caste system entered English use in the 19th century as scholars described the Indian social order, distinguishing it from other forms of social stratification. Over time, “caste system” has expanded in sociological and political discourse to describe any rigid, inherited hierarchy, not solely within India, though the Indian model remains the prototypical example. First known uses in printed English appear in travelogues and colonial-era accounts describing Indian society, with increasing scholarly attention in anthropological and sociological literature by the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In modern usage, the phrase sometimes appears in debates about social mobility, discrimination, and policy reform.
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Words that rhyme with "Caste System"
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