5 syllables: con, sti, tu, tion, al. Stress on tu.
kahn-stuh-TOO-shuh-nuhl
/ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəl/
constitutional is pronounced kahn-stuh-TOO-shuh-nuhl (/ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəl/). It has five syllables (con-sti-tu-tion-al), with the stress on "tu". Constitutional describes anything relating to a constitution, especially the fundamental laws or structure of a country. It can refer to legal frameworks, rights guaranteed by a constitution, or events and opinions that align with constitutional principles. The term is formal and commonly used in legal, political, and academic contexts.
Constitutional describes anything relating to a constitution, especially the fundamental laws or structure of a country. It can refer to legal frameworks, rights guaranteed by a constitution, or events and opinions that align with constitutional principles. The term is formal and commonly used in legal, political, and academic contexts.
- You: You may drop the primary stress syllable and say con-STI-tional with weak or mis-timed emphasis on /tuː/, leading to /ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːənӕl/ vs the standard /ˌkɒnstɪˈtuː.ʃənəl/. - Tip: Practice the three- or four-syllable swing with a finger tap on the stressed TU. - You might merge /tjuː/ into /tjuːʃ/; keep the /t/ crisp and separate from /juː/. - Ensure the /ʃ/ is audible; avoid letting /t/ blend with /ʃ/. - Final -al can be pronounced as /əl/ in casual speech; in careful speech, maintain /nəl/ to avoid truncation.
"The judge emphasized the constitutional rights of citizens during the trial."
"They advocated for a constitutional amendment to protect freedom of speech."
"Her argument rested on constitutional principles rather than political ideology."
Pronounce as /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtuː.ʃə.nəl/ (US: /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtuː.ʃə.nəl/). Break it into con-STI-TU-tion-al; main stress on the third syllable -TU-. Start with /kɒn/ or /kɑn/ depending on accent, then /stɪ/; glide into /ˈtuː/ then /ʃə/ then /nəl/. Maintain clear vowel in -tion- as /tuː.ʃən/ in many varieties. Tip: keep the /t/ crisp, avoid flapping; ensure the /ʃ/ remains strong rather than merging with /t/.
Two common errors: (1) failing to stress the /tuː/ syllable, saying con-sti-tyu-nal or con-sti-tutional with weak TU; (2) merging /tjuː/ into a simple /tuː/ or mispronouncing /ʃən/ as /ʃən/ with reduced clarity. Correction: emphasize the /ˈtuː/ in the third syllable and keep /t/ clear before /juː/. Practice the sequence con-sti-TU-tion-al with focused articulation of /t/, /juː/ and /ʃən/.,
In US/UK/AU, the core is /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtuː.ʃə.nəl/ or /ˌkɑːn.stɪˈtuː.ʃən.əl/. US often has rhoticity affecting the first /ɒ/ vs /ɑː/; UK tends to shorter /ɒ/ and clearer /ɪ/; AU resembles UK but with slightly broader vowels and a steady /l/ at the end. The /tuː/ remains prominent in all; the final -al may be a schwa + l or a syllabic l depending on speaker.,
The difficulty arises from the sequence -sti- /stɪ/ then -tu- /tuː/ followed by -tion- /ʃən/ and the final -al; multiple consonant clusters in close succession can blur consonants (t + j/ju). Additionally, the long /uː/ in the third syllable and the subtle /ʃ/ can be mispronounced in fast speech. Focusing on separating the syllables and maintaining the strong TU- and ʃ- sounds helps.
Notice the two strong syllables with clear 'tu' (/tuː/) and the /ʃ/ in -tion-; avoid reducing /tuː/ to /tu/ or merging /ʃən/ with preceding vowels. Also watch the final /əl/; in rapid speech it may become a lighter /əl/ or even an /l/ syllable. Maintaining crystallized /tuː/ and /ʃən/ yields the most natural pronunciation across contexts.
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- US: manten rhoticity early; /ɚ/ not typical in constitutional, as the word ends with /nəl/. Stress on the third syllable; keep /tuː/ long. - UK: /ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuː.ʃən.əl/ with strong /ˈtjuː/ and clear /ʃ/; less vowel reduction in connected speech. - AU: similar to UK but often broader vowels; maintain /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a clear /tjuː/. - Vowel notes: /ɒ/ vs /ɒː/; /ɪ/ vs /ə/; /tuː/ should be clearly pronounced rather than shortened. - Reference IPA: US /ˌkɔn.stɪˈtuː.ʃə.nəl/, UK /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃən.əl/, AU /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃən.əl/.
Constitutional comes from the noun constitution, which traces to the Latin constitutio, meaning a setting up or arrangement. The Latin root constit- derives from constare ‘to stand firm, set up,’ from con- ‘together’ + sistere ‘to set, place.’ English adopted constitution in the 16th–17th centuries, initially in political and legal discourse. The suffix -al began describing adjectives by the late Middle English period, forming Constitutional to denote ‘relating to a constitution.’ Over time, its usage broadened from strictly legal contexts to refer to actions, arguments, or attitudes that align with established constitutional principles. The first known uses in English appeared in political treatises and legal texts during the early modern period, with the term gaining prominence in debates about governance, rights, and the structure of government. Today, constitutional is a standard term in law, government, and civil discourse, often appearing in discussions of amendments, rights, and constitutional interpretation.
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Words that rhyme with "constitutional"
-nal sounds
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