3 syllables: en, cod, ing. Stress on cod.
en-KOH-ding
/ɛˈnkoʊdɪŋ/
encoding is pronounced en-KOH-ding (/ɛˈnkoʊdɪŋ/). It has three syllables (en-cod-ing), with the stress on "cod". Encoding refers to the process of converting information into a specific format for storage or transmission, or, in computer science, converting data into a digital representation. In linguistics, it means representing sounds, signs, or messages in a code. It can denote the act of encoding data, signals, or messages, or the method by which information is coded for secure or efficient handling. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words).
Encoding refers to the process of converting information into a specific format for storage or transmission, or, in computer science, converting data into a digital representation. In linguistics, it means representing sounds, signs, or messages in a code. It can denote the act of encoding data, signals, or messages, or the method by which information is coded for secure or efficient handling. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words)
"The video uses different encoding schemes to compress the image data."
"You’ll need to verify the encoding of the file to ensure it opens correctly."
"The encoder translates the input stream into a compressed encoded form."
Pronounce as en-CO-ding, with the primary stress on the second syllable: /ɪnˈkoʊdɪŋ/ in US; UK often /ɪnˈkəʊdɪŋ/ and AU /ɪnˈkəʊdɪŋ/. Begin with a light schwa or short i in the first syllable, then a clear /ˈkoʊ/ (US) or /ˈkəʊ/ (UK/AU), followed by /dɪŋ/. Keep the mouth relatively closed for the first vowel and glide into the rounded, tense vowel in the second syllable. IPA: US ɪnˈkoʊdɪŋ; UK ɪnˈkəʊdɪŋ; AU ɪnˈkəʊdɪŋ.
Common errors: misplacing the primary stress or pronouncing the second syllable with a reduced vowel. Some speakers use /ˈɛnˌkoʊdɪŋ/ or /ɪnˈkəndɪŋ/, flattening the second syllable vowel. Correction: keep /koʊ/ (US) or /koʊ/ as a full diphthong, ensure the /d/ is a clear stop, and place primary stress on the second syllable: en-CO-ding. Practice chunks: en-CO-ding string data, en-CO-ding scheme.
US: /ɪnˈkoʊdɪŋ/ with a strong /oʊ/ diphthong; non-rhotic features are less common in technical speech. UK: /ɪnˈkəʊdɪŋ/ featuring /əʊ/ and slightly reduced first vowel; AU mirrors UK but withAustralian vowel shifts. Focus on non-rhoticity in connected speech; the /ŋ/ final is consistent. The main difference is the vowel in the second syllable: /koʊ/ vs /kəʊ/.
Two challenges: the diphthong in the second syllable (/oʊ/ or /əʊ/) can be tricky, and the transition from the unstressed first syllable /ɪ/ or /ɪn/ to the stressed /koʊ/ or /ˈkəʊ/. Maintain a crisp /k/ release and avoid elongating the first syllable. Focus on balancing tongue height for the diphthong and keeping the final /ŋ/ clean.
A unique tip: treat the 'en-' as a light onset, then lock the sonority on /koʊ/ with a firm, rounded lip posture, and finish with a precise alveolar nasal /ŋ/. Visualize the lip rounding for /koʊ/ while keeping the first syllable quick and light to preserve the correct stress pattern: en-CO-ding.
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Encoding derives from the noun code, itself from Latin codex ‘book of laws’ or ‘script’, and the verb to code; the -ing suffix marks a gerund/participle form. In English, encoding began to be used in the 17th-18th centuries in cryptography and information theory, but its modern sense as data representation emerged with computer science in the mid-20th century. The word outputs from the combination of code + -ing to describe the ongoing process of encoding, transmitting, or storing data. First known uses appeared in technical writing as early as the 1950s within computing and communications literature, expanding later into multimedia, streaming, and digital security contexts. Over time, encoding evolved from a primarily cryptographic term to a broad information-science term covering data formats, character sets, and compression schemes. The term now appears in software interfaces, networking, and data protocols, reflecting the central role of conversion and representation in digital systems.
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Words that rhyme with "encoding"
-ing sounds
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