3 syllables: con, tem, plates. Stress on con.
KAHN-tuhm-playts
/ˈkɑntəmˌpleɪts/
contemplates is pronounced KAHN-tuhm-playts (/ˈkɑntəmˌpleɪts/). It has three syllables (con-tem-plates), with the stress on "con". Contemplates is the verb for considering something thoughtfully or with deliberate attention, often over a period of time. In usage, it implies deep reflection or serious consideration, sometimes with planning or doubt. The form contemplates covers third-person singular present and is used in contexts where a subject ponders or weighs options. The root sense centers on looking at something closely in order to think through implications.
Contemplates is the verb for considering something thoughtfully or with deliberate attention, often over a period of time. In usage, it implies deep reflection or serious consideration, sometimes with planning or doubt. The form contemplates covers third-person singular present and is used in contexts where a subject ponders or weighs options. The root sense centers on looking at something closely in order to think through implications.
"She contemplates moving to a new city after finishing college."
"The committee contemplates several proposals before making a decision."
"He contemplates the risks involved before signing the contract."
Pronounce as /kənˈtɛm.pləˌte͡ɪts/ (US/UK/AU share the stressed /ˈtɛm/ and final /teɪts/ or /təts/ in rapid speech). Start with a light schwa in the first syllable, then the stressed syllable /ˈtɛm/, followed by /plə/ (the 'pl' cluster blends with a schwa), and finish with /teɪts/ (US) or a lighter /tɪts/ in rapid speech. Keep the vowel of the second syllable short and crisp, and ensure the final affix is audible but not elongated.
Common mistakes: (1) Misplacing stress by stressing the second syllable too lightly or the final syllable, (2) Merging the /pl/ cluster into a vague /p/ or /pl/ run, (3) Not clearly articulating the final /ts/ or /ts/ as a crisp voiceless ending. Correction: emphasize the /ˈtɛm/ syllable with a clear onset, land the /pl/ tightly with the following schwa, and finish with a crisp /teɪts/ or /tɪts/ depending on pace. Practice by isolating the sequence te-m-ple-?ts and ensuring the final /ts/ is released.
In US, UK, and AU, the main differences lie in vowel quality around the stressed /ˈtɛm/ and the final diphthong in -teɪts vs -tɪts. US tends to a slightly flatter, more rhotic pronunciation with a clear /ɜ/ in some secondary vowels, UK often preserves a tighter /ˈtem.plə.teɪts/ with less vowel reduction, and AU mirrors UK patterns but may reduce the mid vowels slightly in casual speech. The final /ts/ remains voiceless in all, but connected speech can veil it in rapid talk.
The difficulty centers on the multi-syllabic rhythm, the consonant cluster /pl/ after the stressed syllable, and the final /ts/ release. Keeping the '/ˈtɛm/' clearly stressed while smoothly linking /pl/ to /ə/ and then to /teɪts/ can be tricky, especially in faster speech. Also, the subtle vowel shifts between schwa and reduced vowels in connected speech demand careful vowel timing to maintain intelligibility.
What is the effect of syllable-timing on 'contemplates' in fast formal speech? In rapid delivery, you compress the unstressed syllables so that /kənˈtɛm.plə.teɪts/ becomes a tighter sequence, but you should still maintain the strong secondary stress on the /ˈtɛm/ and clearly articulate the final /ts/ to avoid slurring.
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Con templates derive from the Latin root contemplari, meaning 'to gaze at, to observe,' from con- 'together' + templum 'a place for observation, a temple' historically tied to the act of looking with intent or regard. The path from Latin to English passed through Old French contempler, retaining the sense of observing with deliberate thought. In Middle English and Early Modern English, contemplates appeared as forms of the verb contemplate, bearing the nuance of surveying a scene or problem with focused attention. The word’s emergence in English usage aligns with a broader philosophical and rhetorical tradition that treats contemplation as a form of careful reflection. First known uses in English date to the late 15th to early 16th centuries, with the sense gradually expanding from literal observation to more cognitive reflection. The plural form contemplates developed as the 3rd person singular present tense for the verb to contemplate, signaling ongoing or habitual consideration by a subject in narrative and formal writing.
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Words that rhyme with "contemplates"
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