3 syllables: ex, por, ters. Stress on por.
ik-SPAWR-turz
/ɪkˈspɔɹtɚz/
exporters is pronounced ik-SPAWR-turz (/ɪkˈspɔɹtɚz/). It has three syllables (ex-por-ters), with the stress on "por". Exporters refers to people or companies that ship goods to other countries for sale. The term is used in business and trade contexts to denote the agents or firms responsible for sending products abroad. It emphasizes the act of exporting rather than producing domestically. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words).
Exporters refers to people or companies that ship goods to other countries for sale. The term is used in business and trade contexts to denote the agents or firms responsible for sending products abroad. It emphasizes the act of exporting rather than producing domestically. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words)
- Confusing the second syllable stress with the first (saying ex-PORT-ers with heavy stress on the first syllable). Keep the main stress on the second syllable: ex-PORT-ers. - Omission or softening of the final -s; make sure you voice the plural ending as /-z/ or /-ɪz/ depending on adjacent sounds, in this word it’s /-ərz/. - Letting the /t/ blend into the /ər/; practice a clear /t/ before /ər/. - In rapid speech, vowel reduction can collapse /ɔː/; slow down to isolate /ɔː/ in the second syllable, then speed up.
"The exporters in the port handled a surge of shipments last quarter."
"An industry group supports exporters with market analysis and compliance services."
"Small exporters often partner with distributors to reach overseas markets."
You pronounce it as /ɪkˈspɔːrtərz/ in US English, /ˈekspɔːtə(z)/ in UK, and /ˈekspɔːtəz/ in Australian English. The primary stress is on the second syllable: ex-PORT-ers. Start with /ɪ/ or /ɛ/ depending on accent, move to /ˈspɔːr/ or /ˈspɔːtə/, and end with /ərz/ or /əz/. Mouth positions: begin with a light schwa or short i, then a rounded back vowel for 'port,' and finish with a clearly enunciated 'erz' in non-rhotic UK you may hear a shorter final schwa. Audio reference: consider sounding it in isolation and within a sentence to feel the pressure shift.
Common errors: misplacing stress (ex-PORT-ers vs ex-PORT-ers is fine—don’t mix), dropping the final -s (exporter), and mispronouncing the 'port' as a d/p blend. Correct by ensuring the vowel in the second syllable is a stressed /ɔː/ or /ɔːr/ and clearly pronounce the final /z/ or /əz/. Practice with minimal pairs: export vs exporters; focus on keeping the /t/ crisp before the final /ərz/. Use slow, deliberate articulation before speeding up.
US speakers typically produce /ɪkˈspɔːrtərz/ with a rhotic /r/ and clear /t/ before the /ərz/. UK speakers tend toward /ˈekspɔːtə(z)/ with non-rhoticity and a shorter final vowel, while Australian English keeps a rhotic but with a broader /ɔː/ and a closer to /ˈekspɔːtəz/ ending. The length and quality of the vowel in 'port' and the presence of the final z sound show the most noticeable differences; rhythm tends to be more clipped in UK, more fluid in US.
Two main challenges: the cluster /sp/ after the initial syllable and the transition into the /t/ before /ərz/. The sequence ex-spor-terz contains a quick shift from /k/ to /sp/ and a schwa-ish second vowel, which can trip non-native speakers. Focused practice on the 'ex-spor-' transition and the final /ərz/ or /əz/ helps maintain natural rhythm and prevents blending.
Yes, you do pronounce the /t/ in export-ERs, as in /ɪkˈspɔːrtərz/. The /t/ is a light but audible stop before the /ər/ sequence. In rapid speech, it can be lightly flapped or even perceived as a quick stop, but in careful speech you’ll articulate it crisply to avoid blending it with the following /ər/. Include it in your shadowing to keep the syllable boundary clear.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; maintain a clear /ɔː/ in 'port'. - UK: non-rhotic; the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel; keep /ˈekspɔːtə/ with a shorter final vowel. - AU: rhotic with broad vowels; keep /ɔː/ quality and a relaxed mouth for final /z/. IPA references: US /ɪkˈspɔːrtərz/, UK /ˈekspɔːtə(z)/, AU /ˈekspɔːtəz/.
The word exporter derives from the verb export, which comes from the Late Latin exportare, meaning to carry out of a country. The Latin ex- meaning “out” + portare meaning “to carry” evolved into Old French esporter and then Middle English exporten, finally anglicized as export. The agent noun -er appended to export denotes a person or entity performing the action: someone who exports. The first known uses in English date to medieval and early modern commerce when merchants moved goods beyond national borders. Over time, the term broadened from the general act of shipping abroad to specify the commercial operator—firms or individuals engaged in shipping goods overseas for sale. In modern usage, exporters are defined by their role in international trade, with legal, logistical, and regulatory responsibilities shaping their practice. The word’s core meaning remains tied to outward movement of goods, maintaining a clear distinction from importers, who bring goods in. The evolution reflects global trade expansion, international treaties, and the rise of export-oriented economies worldwide, with the term becoming commonplace in economic, policy, and business languages by the 19th and 20th centuries.
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Words that rhyme with "exporters"
-rts sounds
-ers sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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