4 syllables: com, mu, ni, cate. Stress on mu.
kuh-MYOO-nuh-kayt
/kəˈmjunəˌkeɪt/
communicate is pronounced kuh-MYOO-nuh-kayt (/kəˈmjunəˌkeɪt/). It has four syllables (com-mu-ni-cate), with the stress on "mu". Communicate means to convey information, ideas, or feelings to others through spoken or written language, or by other signaling methods. It involves encoding a message, transmitting it, and ensuring the recipient interprets it as intended. In practice, effective communication blends clarity, context, and feedback to ensure mutual understanding in social, professional, or digital environments.
Communicate means to convey information, ideas, or feelings to others through spoken or written language, or by other signaling methods. It involves encoding a message, transmitting it, and ensuring the recipient interprets it as intended. In practice, effective communication blends clarity, context, and feedback to ensure mutual understanding in social, professional, or digital environments.
- You often misplace the stress on the first syllable KO-mu-ni-cate; press the second syllable syllable: ku-MYOO-ni-kate. - You may merge the /juː/ into a short /u/ or /j/ only; ensure the long diphthong /juː/ begins with a rounded high vowel and a strong glide. - Final /keɪt/ might become /kət/ or /keɪ/; keep the /eɪ/ diphthong and a crisp /t/ release. - Leading vowel can reduce to a schwa too early; maintain /ə/ for the first syllable for the natural rhythm.
"She learned to communicate with her team using clear emails and concise updates."
"The classroom encouraged students to communicate their thoughts through group presentations."
"In a crisis, people rely on rapid, accurate communication to coordinate actions."
Pronounce as kə-MYOO-ni-kate. IPA: US kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt; UK kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt; AU kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt. The primary stress is on the second syllable. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then the long /juː/ sound, then /nɪ/ and the final /keɪt/ cluster. Mouth: relaxed lips, tongue high for /j/ after /m/, glide into /juː/ with rounded lips, then a clear /keɪt/ ending.
Common errors: 1) Placing stress on the first syllable (KO-mu-ni-cate) instead of the second (ku-MYOO-ni-kate). 2) Slurring the /juː/ into a short /u/ or /j/ only (ku-moo-ni-kate). 3) Mispronouncing the final /keɪt/ as /kət/ or /kit/. Correction: keep a distinct /juː/ after the initial /m/ and ensure the final /eɪt/ is a long vowel followed by a t release. Practice with careful syllable tapping: ku-MYOO-ni-kate.
US: /kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt/ with clear /juː/ and rhoticity in broader speech. UK: /kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt/ similar rhythm but potential non-rhoticity in faster speech; some speakers reduce /juː/ to /jʊ/ or even /uː/ in rapid talk. AU: /kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt/ with vowel quality influenced by Australian vowel shifts; /r/ is typically non-rhotic; linking can slightly modify the preceding vowel before /m/. All share the stress pattern ku-MYOO-ni-kate; rhythm changes subtly with vowel length and intonation.
The challenge lies in the /juː/ sequence after /m/ and the final /keɪt/ cluster, which demands a precise glide and vowel length. Beginners often shorten /juː/ to /jə/ or miscue the /ˈmjuː/ onset. Tension around the alveolar contact in /nɪ/ can blur into /nɪk/; the /t/ release at the end must be crisp to avoid a softened /d/ or /t/ blend. Focus on separating the three syllables with a light, controlled glide and ensuring the final /eɪt/ is held clearly.
Is the consonant sequence at the end of 'communicate' influenced by preceding /ɪ/? Specifically, how do you transition from /nɪ/ to /keɪt/? Answer: The shift from /nɪ/ to /keɪt/ should be a smooth but deliberate boundary: /nɪ/ ends with a soft alveolar nasal, then release into the affricate-like /keɪt/ with a clear /k/ burst and /eɪ/ diphthong. The tip is to pause slightly between /nɪ/ and /keɪt/ to avoid swallowing the /k/.
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- US: rhotic, but /r/ not present in this word; pay attention to the /juː/ sequence after /m/. - UK: similar structure, with potentially shorter /juː/ due to non-rhotic articulation in connected speech; monitor linking after /m/. - AU: typical non-rhotic tendencies; vowel quality can be broader, with a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ in /nɪ/; maintain /juː/ glide and final /eɪt/ with a crisp release. IPA references: US kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt; UK kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt; AU kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt.
Communicate comes from the Latin commūnicāre, formed from com- (together) + mūnus (gift, function) through a chain of meanings involving sharing, imparting, and transferring information. The term appeared in English in the 15th century with senses relating to imparting knowledge or ideas. Over time, it broadened to include formal as well as informal channels—speech, writing, gestures, and modern digital media. The word originally implied an act of sharing one’s mind with another and gradually encompassed the mechanisms by which messages are created, encoded, transmitted, and decoded by receivers. The evolution reflects social needs: collaboration, instruction, persuasion, and relationship-building. Modern usage retains core senses of sharing meaning, while technology has expanded the methods and speed of communication, incorporating multimedia, networks, and interfaces that enable near-instantaneous exchanges across distances.
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Words that rhyme with "communicate"
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