4 syllables: cir, cu, la, tion. Stress on cir.
SUR-kyuh-lay-shuhn
/ˈsɝkjəˌleɪʃən/
circulation is pronounced SUR-kyuh-lay-shuhn (/ˈsɝkjəˌleɪʃən/). It has four syllables (cir-cu-la-tion), with the stress on "cir". Circulation refers to the movement of something in a closed system, such as blood through the body or air in a looped pathway. It can also denote the distribution or spread of something (like information or currency) within a network or population. The term combines science-like specificity with everyday applicability, often used in medical, physiological, and economic contexts.
Circulation refers to the movement of something in a closed system, such as blood through the body or air in a looped pathway. It can also denote the distribution or spread of something (like information or currency) within a network or population. The term combines science-like specificity with everyday applicability, often used in medical, physiological, and economic contexts.
- Fluency trap: over-stressing the first syllable and flattening the middle into a weak schwa; fix by ensuring primary stress lands on the third syllable (leɪ). - Vowel mis-timing: turning kjə into kjəɪ or kjəʊ; keep the accurate mid-central vowel in the second syllable and a crisp -leɪ. - Ending sound confusion: pronounce the final -tion as -ʃən, not -sion or -tion as a long 'shun' only. Use the -ʃən ending to maintain correct rhythm. - Ensure US vs UK rhoticity: in rhotic varieties, you’ll hear an r before the following segment; in non-rhotic varieties, the r is less pronounced. - Don’t add an extra vowel between syllables; keep the three-syllable rhythm tight: sɜr.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən.
"The circulation of blood maintains vital organ function."
"Public health campaigns aim to increase the circulation of information about preventive care."
"Her novels achieved broad circulation across multiple countries."
Stress falls on the third syllable: cir-cu- la- tion. IPA US: sɜːr.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən. UK: səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən. AU: səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən. Focus on the middle primary stress on leɪ. Ensure the 'cir' begins with a relaxed S or z-like sound, not a hard 'sir' as in some dialects. The second syllable reduces to a schwa before the stressed 'leɪ'. You’ll hear a clear 'lay' vowel in the stressed syllable and a light, fast 'tion' ending.
Two common errors: 1) Flattening the stress so the word sounds like cir-cu-LA-tion or cir-cu-LA-tion with weak primary stress. 2) Mispronouncing the 'cu' as a hard 'coo' or 'cue' instead of the correct 'kjə' sequence; the second syllable often becomes a reduced vowel + consonant. Correction: place primary stress on the third syllable (leɪ) and use the mid-central vowel in the first two syllables: sɜːr.kjə.ˈleɪ.ʃən (US), səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən (UK). Practice by saying it slowly: sir-kju-lay-shun, then speed up.
In US English, the initial vowel often reduces to a mid-central sound (sɜr-), with rhotic r pronounced before the following consonants (circulation becomes sɜr.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən). UK English tends to a non-rhotic presentation in many accents (səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən), with longer central vowels and a sharper -leɪ.ʃən ending. Australian English tends to an /ə/ in the first syllable and a clear /kjʊ/ sequence, with a more clipped final syllable than American forms. IPA references reflect typical regional qualities: US /ˌsɜːr.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən/, UK /ˌsəˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/, AU /ˌsəːsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm, the unstressed first two syllables with schwa-like vowels, and the cluster transitioning into a clear stressed 'LAY' vowel in the third syllable, followed by the 'ʃən' ending. The 'kj' consonant blend must link the first and second syllables without inserting an extra vowel. Also, precise 'ti' to 'ʃən' syllable boundary can trip learners. Practice by isolating the 'kjə' sequence and the 'leɪ.ʃən' ending separately.
Unique query: Is the 'cir' in circulation pronounced with a hard 's' or a soft 's' when connected to following consonants? In standard varieties, the initial syllable carries an unstressed schwa or mid-front vowel, and the 'cir' begins with a relaxed s sound; the 'cir' sound transitions into 'kjə' rather than a hard 'sir' or 'cire'. The preceding vowel is not strongly stressed, but the sequence requires a crisp 'kj' link to the stressed 'leɪ' syllable. IPA guidance: US sɜr.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən; UK səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən.
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- US: rhotic, pronounce r before the next consonant; keep the middle vowel as schwa in rapid speech: sɜr.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən. - UK: non-rhotic or weak-rhoc; the r is less audible; use a slightly longer vowel in ‘kjʊ’ variant: səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən. - AU: more centralized vowels in initial syllable and a clear 'kjʊ' sequence; maintain a flatter, more clipped rhythm: səˌsɜː.kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən. - Tip: Practice with minimal pairs focusing on rhoticity: 'circulation' vs 'circulating' vs 'circulatory' to hear R-ness where applicable.
Circulation comes from the Latin circūlātio, from circulāre “to go around, surround,” based on circulus “a little circle.” The root circul- implies a circle or circuit; the suffix -ātiō marks the process or action. The term circulated in English by the 15th century originally in medical contexts to describe the movement of fluids, notably blood, through vessels. In the 17th–18th centuries, it broadened to biology and physiology, describing the systemic movement of air, nutrients, and later economic goods and information. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, its scientific usage expanded into physics (fluid dynamics) and finance (money in circulation). Today, circulation spans medical, circulatory systems, meteorology, economics, and information networks, retaining core sense of movement in a loop or system. First known uses often appear in medical treatises and early microbiology texts, where “circulation” described the continuous flow essential to life and, later, to automated processes and markets. The word’s versatility reflects a common linguistic trend: a vivid, physical metaphor (going around a circle) extended to abstract flows in systems and societies.
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Words that rhyme with "circulation"
-ion sounds
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