Diligence is careful and persistent work or effort towards a task, often implying thoroughness and steady application. It denotes a quality of attention and perseverance that yields reliable results, typically highlighting disciplined routines and conscientiousness. In usage, it can describe both personal character and the level of effort someone applies to a project or goal.
US: Slightly tenser /ɪ/ in the first vowel; stable /l/ and a clear /dʒ/ onset. UK: crisper /ɪ/ and a tighter /dʒ/ release; AU: generally similar to US but with a brighter /ɪ/ quality and sometimes a broader vowel in the second syllable. IPA references: /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/. Focus on keeping non-rhoticity in AU/UK tail sounds consistent; avoid adding extra vowel length in the second syllable. Use minimal pairs to sharpen vowel quality: dress vs. dig; lake vs. leg closer to /ɪ/.
"Her diligence in researching the topic led to a well-supported report."
"The team's success came from long hours of practice and unrelenting diligence."
"He approached the exam with quiet diligence, reviewing notes multiple times."
"Patience and diligence are essential when mastering a difficult skill."
Diligence traces to the Latin diligere, meaning to value or esteem, which evolved through Old French diligence (late 12th century) and into English. The root dilig- conveys ‘care, heed, love’ and combines with -ence to form a noun indicating quality or state. The sense expanded from “carefully choosing or adhering to” to “persistent, steady effort.” By Middle English, diligence described careful labor or application, and by the modern era it commonly denotes a steadfast work ethic. First known use in English dates to the 14th century, with cognates in Romance languages reflecting the shared Latin root. Over time, the word broadened from religious or scholarly contexts into general work ethic in business and everyday life, retaining emphasis on consistent, thorough effort.”,
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Words that rhyme with "Diligence"
-nce sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Diligence is pronounced DI-li-dʒəns with stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/. Start with a short short “di” as /dɪ/, then a light /l/, followed by the /ɪdʒ/ cluster as in “edge,” and end with /əns/. Your mouth should relax into a small schwa before the final /ns/. You can listen to native models and mimic the flow: /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/.
Common errors include misplacing the /l/ or creating a heavier /dʒ/ cluster. People sometimes say /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/ with an extra emphasis on the second syllable or merge /dʒ/ too abruptly, producing /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/ with a sharper transition. Correct approach: keep the /l/ smooth, ensure the /dʒ/ starts with a light tongue contact behind the upper teeth, and reduce any vowel reduction in the middle syllable. Practice by isolating /dɪ/ then the /lɪdʒ/ sequence before the schwa and final /ns/.
In US, UK, and AU, the pronunciation remains /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/ with a rhotic or non-rhotic influence on the final vowel; main variation lies in vowel quality: US tends to a slightly tenser /ɪ/ in the first syllables, UK often has a crisper /ɪ/ and a more clipped /dʒ/ release, and AU can show a slightly broader vowel in the second syllable. Overall, rhoticity is minimal in non-rhotic accents, so endings sound similar, while vowel duration and quality can shift subtly.
The challenge lies in the /dʒ/ consonant cluster following /l/ and the two short vowels in quick succession (/ɪ/ then /ɪ/). The sequence /lɪdʒ/ requires a light tongue touch and careful timing between the lateral /l/ and the palatal affricate /dʒ/. Additionally, the final /əns/ can be shortened or loosened; aim for a clear, unstressed schwa before /ns/. Practice by cycling through /dɪ/ → /lɪdʒ/ → /əns/ slowly.
A unique aspect is maintaining the short, unstressed second syllable /ɪ/ and not reducing it inadvertently to /iː/ or /ɪə/ under fast speech. Keep the primary stress on the first syllable and ensure a smooth /l/ before the /dʒ/ onset. Recording yourself and comparing to a native model helps you refine the transition from /l/ to /dʒ/.
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