3 syllables: cla, ri, ty. Stress on cla.
KLER-uh-tee
/ˈklɛɹəti/
clarity is pronounced KLER-uh-tee (/ˈklɛɹəti/). It has three syllables (cla-ri-ty), with the stress on "cla". Clarity refers to the quality of being easy to perceive or understand, with precise or lucid expression. In language, it means speaking or writing so that ideas are transparent, unambiguous, and easy to follow. The term emphasizes intelligibility and distinct articulation, often achieved through precise enunciation, appropriate pacing, and well-structured delivery.
Clarity refers to the quality of being easy to perceive or understand, with precise or lucid expression. In language, it means speaking or writing so that ideas are transparent, unambiguous, and easy to follow. The term emphasizes intelligibility and distinct articulation, often achieved through precise enunciation, appropriate pacing, and well-structured delivery.
- You may drop the first vowel length or reduce the /æ/ to a schwa in rapid speech. Keep the /æ/ crisp, then a distinct /ɹ/ before /ɪ/. - Mispronouncing the final /ti/ as /tɪ/ or /ti:/; practice a clean alveolar stop followed by a short /i/. - Oversmoothing across syllables; maintain three-syllable rhythm with stress on the first syllable: CLAIR-i-ty. - Inconsistent rhoticity US vs UK; be mindful of rhotic vs non-rhotic accents when practicing in context. - Common conflation with ‘clarion’ or ‘clarion call’; ensure the /æ/ and /ɪ/ sequences are kept distinct.
"The speaker aimed for clarity, simplifying the complex data for the audience."
"She spoke with remarkable clarity, making the instructions easy to follow."
"The project failed due to a lack of clarity in goals and roles."
Pronounce as /ˈklær.ɪ.ti/ in US and UK; stress on the first syllable. Start with the /kl/ blend, then the short /æ/ vowel as in ‘cat,’ followed by a light /r/ and a schwa-like /ɪ/ before the final /ti/ with a clear /t/ and high-front /i/. Think ‘CLAIR-ih-tee’ with the vowels reduced slightly in fast speech. IPA guidance: US /ˈklærɪti/, UK /ˈklærəti/, AU /ˈklærɪti/.”,
Two common errors: 1) Slurring the middle /-ar-ɪ-/: speakers may reduce /ɪ/ and merge /r/ into a soft vowel, producing /ˈklærəti/ or /ˈklæɹɪti/; fix by pronouncing a distinct /ɹ/ before the /ɪ/ and keeping a short, crisp /ɪ/. 2) Final /ti/ turned into /ji/ or /si/ in rapid speech; correct by opening the final consonant clearly: /ti/ with a precise alveolar stop after the vowel. Practice with careful alveolar closure and a brief release.
US: rhotic, /ˈklærɪti/ with a rhotic /r/ and a palatal-vowel quality. UK: /ˈklærəti/ with non-rhotic tendency in many accents; vowel quality a bit shorter, more centralized /ə/ in second syllable, and a lighter /t/ depending on regional variation. AU: /ˈklærɪti/ similar to US but with sometimes more clipped /ɪ/ and a broader Australian vowel space; both UK and US maintain the strong first syllable stress, Australian often exhibits a more centralized vowel in the unstressed syllable. IPA references help: US /ˈklærɪti/, UK /ˈklærəti/, AU /ˈklærɪti/.
The challenge lies in balancing the crisp onset /kl/ with a delicate /æ/ before a rapid /ɹ/ and then a light /ɪ/ in a three-syllable word. Many speakers blend the /ɹ/ with the following vowel, smearing syllables. Also, final /ti/ requires a precise alveolar stop release; in rapid speech it can become a syllabic or softened sound. Focus on distinct, controlled consonant articulation and a clear vowel in each syllable.
No, there are no silent letters in clarity. It is pronounced with three fully articulated syllables: /klær/ + /ɪ/ + /ti/. The letters c, l, a, r, i, t, y all contribute to sound. The y at the end represents the /i/ vowel sound, not a vowel-free ending. Ensure each letter contributes to your articulation for clear enunciation.
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- US: maintain rhotic /ɹ/ in the /ˈklærɪti/ sequence; keep /æ/ bright and /ɪ/ compact; final /ti/ should be a crisp alveolar stop + short /i/. - UK: often non-rhotic; make second syllable /ə/ or /ə/ depending on speaker, and reduce the /i/ slightly; keep first syllable strong with /æ/. - AU: similar to US with slightly broader vowel space; stress remains on first syllable, but vowels can be more centralized; ensure the final /ti/ remains crisp. - IPA references: /ˈklærɪti/ US, /ˈklærəti/ UK, /ˈklærɪti/ AU.
clarity comes from the Old French claireté, from claire meaning ‘clear, bright,’ which itself derives from Latin clarus ‘clear, bright, famous.’ The term entered English via medieval Latin and Old French, with early senses tied to brightness or clearness in vision or sound. Over time, the semantic range expanded from physical clarity (visibility, light) to cognitive and linguistic notions of clearness and intelligibility. By the 14th–15th centuries, 'clarity' commonly described the quality of being clear in thought or expression, a usage that persists in modern English to denote both perceptual brightness and conceptual lucidity.
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Words that rhyme with "clarity"
-ity sounds
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