2 syllables: For, eign. Stress on For.
FAW-ruhn
/ˈfɔɹən/
Foreign is pronounced FAW-ruhn (/ˈfɔɹən/). It has two syllables (For-eign), with the stress on "For". As a noun, a noun meaning someone or something that is not local to a place; often used to describe people from another country or place, or information/specifications from outside a given system. It can also refer to the act of sending or relating across borders. In sociology and linguistics, it sometimes denotes a signal or state originating outside a given context. The term can carry neutral or pejorative connotations depending on usage.
nounA noun meaning someone or something that is not local to a place; often used to describe people from another country or place, or information/specifications from outside a given system. It can also refer to the act of sending or relating across borders. In sociology and linguistics, it sometimes denotes a signal or state originating outside a given context. The term can carry neutral or pejorative connotations depending on usage.
- You’ll often over-articulate the second syllable, saying it with a full vowel like /ɪ/ or /i:/. Aim for a quick /ən/ with a relaxed jaw. - You may flatten the first vowel, producing /fɔːrən/ with an overlong /ɔː/ or slip into /fɒrən/ in non-rhotic contexts. Focus on accuracy of the first vowel height depending on your target accent. - Some speakers merge the syllables, turning Foreign into something that sounds like “for-in” without prosodic separation. Practice with slow, two-syllable enunciation and then gradually speed up while maintaining distinct syllables.
How to Pronounce Foreign
"The festival featured a guest speaker who is a foreigner living in the city."
"Different laws apply to foreign trade and domestic commerce."
"She learned about the foreign language by taking courses abroad."
Pronounce it as /ˈfɔːrən/ (US) or /ˈfɒrən/ (UK/AU). The first syllable carries primary stress. Start with an open back unrounded vowel in the first syllable, then soften to a schwa-like /ə/ in the second. Avoid turning it into /ˈfɔːrɪn/ or /ˈfɔːrɛn/. Think ‘FOR-en’ with a quick, light second syllable.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable as a full vowel like /i/ or /e/ (e.g., /ˈfɔːˌriːn/) and misplacing the primary stress, making it sound like FOReign or for-IGIN. Another mistake is merging the two syllables too tightly, producing /ˈfɔrən/ without the proper schwa cue. Correct by keeping a clear /ən/ ending, and ensure the /ɹ/ is the American r quality after the first vowel; practice with minimal pairs and slow articulation.
In US English, /ˈfɔːrən/ with rhotic /ɹ/ and a longer first vowel; UK employs /ˈfɒrən/ with non-rhoticity in many regions leading to a weaker /ɹ/ and shorter /ɒ/; Australian blends US-like rhoticity but with broader vowel qualities, often closer to /ˈfɔːrən/ depending on speaker. The main differences are vowel height and rhoticity: US tends to a rounded /ɔː/ and pronounced /ɹ/; UK often closer to /ɒ/ with subtle /ə/ in the second syllable; AU sits between, retaining rhoticity in careful speech but can be less pronounced in casual speech.
Two main challenges: the diphthong in the first syllable (US /ɔː/ vs UK /ɒ/) can be tricky; and the second syllable /ən/ requires a quick, neutral schwa, which many learners over-pronounce as /ɛn/ or /ɪn/. Additionally, maintaining short, clipped first syllable with proper vowel length while not over-emphasizing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents can be tricky. Practice isolating the two syllables: /ˈfɔːr/ and /ən/ with a light, relaxed mouth.
The primary challenge is preserving the contrast between the open back vowel in the first syllable and the unstressed schwa in the second while keeping the /r/ light or rhotic depending on accent. It’s also important to avoid a heavy /ɡ/ or /ɪ/ ending; keep the ending as a soft /ən/. The word relies on a clear separation between syllables and proper reduction of the second syllable, which is not always intuitive for learners who expect a closed syllable ending.
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- US: Maintain rhotic /ɹ/; open back vowel around /ɔː/; ensure the first syllable has full nucleus and then quick /ən/ with a schwa. IPA guide: /ˈfɔːrən/. - UK: Often non-rhotic; the /ɹ/ may be weakened or dropped; use /ˈfɒrən/ with a shorter, lighter second syllable. - AU: Generally rhotic; vowels resemble US but with Australian vowel flattening; aim for /ˈfɔːən/ or /ˈfɒːən/ depending on region. Focus on preventing vowel reduction to /ə/ in the first syllable. - Common pitfalls: conflating /ɔː/ with /ɒ/; over-singing the second syllable; not reducing to a quick /ən/ in casual speech.
The word foreign originates from the Old French estrange (in the sense of ‘estranged, foreign, strange’) which itself comes from Latin extraneus ‘external, outside, foreign’, from extra ‘outside’. By the 14th century, English borrowed foreign in the sense of ‘belonging to another country’ or ‘not native to a place’. Over time, its usage expanded beyond national origin to describe things not inherent to a system (foreign language, foreign matter, foreign body). The pronunciation and spelling stabilized in Modern English as Foreign, with the first element fore- linked to ‘before’ historically but semantically aligned with ‘outside’ through Latin extraneus and Old French estrange. The word’s semantics also shifted in sociopolitical discourse, where “foreign” often connotes otherness or cross-border relations, while in technical contexts it simply denotes external origin.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Foreign" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Foreign" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Foreign"
-ing sounds
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