2 syllables: Gen, res. Stress on Gen.
ZHAHN-ruhz
/ˈʒɑnɹəz/
Genres is pronounced ZHAHN-ruhz (/ˈʒɑnɹəz/). It has two syllables (Gen-res), with the stress on "Gen". Genres refers to a category or type of artistic works, such as literature, music, or film. It also denotes the practice of classifying these works into distinct groups. The term is commonly used in discussions of culture, media, and academia to signal stylistic conventions and audience expectations.
nounGenres refers to a category or type of artistic works, such as literature, music, or film. It also denotes the practice of classifying these works into distinct groups. The term is commonly used in discussions of culture, media, and academia to signal stylistic conventions and audience expectations.
- Mispronounce the initial sound as /dʒ/ (like 'genre' numerically) instead of /ʒ/; practice with measures like 'measure' to train /ʒ/. - Drop or reduce the rhotic /r/ in rhotic accents, yielding /ˈɒn.əz/ or /ˈɒn즈/; always articulate the /r/ before the final vowel. - Erratic vowel in the second syllable; keep /ɒ/ as a short back rounded vowel rather than a lax /ɒ/ or /ɔ/. Use minimal pairs and slow practice to stabilize the vowel and the rhotic segment.
How to Pronounce Genres
"The film festival showcased genres ranging from documentary to science fiction."
"She studies how different genres influence audience perception in music."
"The professor asked us to compare genres in 19th-century novels."
Pronounce as /ˈʒɒn.rəz/ in US/UK, with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with the voiced palato-alveolar fricative /ʒ/ (like 'measure'), move to /ɒ/ in US/UK short-o as in 'lot' (RP and some US dialects may differ slightly), then /n/ and end with /rəz/ where /r/ is a rhotic consonant and /əz/ rhymes with 'fuzz'. A quick reference: say 'Zhon' (with /ʒ/) then 'ruz' (with /rəz) in one fluid motion. You'll hear a brief vowel reduction in fast speech, but keep primary stress on the first syllable.
Common errors include replacing /ʒ/ with the /dʒ/ as in 'genre' vs 'jail' or mispronouncing the final /əz/ as /ɪz/ or /ɜːz/. Another frequent slip is softening the second syllable into /ɪz/ or dropping the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. To correct, practice the /ʒ/ sound in measure-like words, keep the final /r/ clear in rhotic accents, and end with /əz/ rather than /ɪz/. Put together: /ˈʒɒn.rəz/ with a crisp /r/ before /əz/.
In US and UK rhotic varieties, /r/ is pronounced before the final /əz/, yielding /ˈʒɒn.rəz/. In some non-rhotic UK dialects, you may perceive a weaker or silent /r/, making it closer to /ˈʒɒn.əz/ in careful speech. Australian English typically retains rhoticity in careful speech and often has a broader /ɒ/ quality; you might hear /ˈʒɔːn.rəz/ with a longer first vowel. The key is the initial /ʒ/ and the rhotic endpoint; adapt the vowel length and rhoticity by region.
The initial /ʒ/ sound is uncommon in many languages and can be challenging for non-native speakers. The sequence /ʒɒn/ requires precise tongue positioning behind the upper teeth with the middle of the tongue; the /ɒ/ vowel must be open back and rounded slightly, followed by a clear /n/. The ending /.rəz/ combines a rhotic /r/ with a schwa + z; mastering the transition from the consonant cluster to the syllabic -əz takes practice to avoid vowel capitulation or blending.
Genres ends with an unstressed '-es' pronounced as /əz/. The stress is on the first syllable: /ˈʒɒn/. Some speakers might de-emphasize the first vowel, sounding more like /ˈdʒɒnrəs/ if they misplace the /ʒ/ and /dʒ/ distinction. Focus on maintaining the initial /ʒ/ and a crisp /r/ before the final /əz/; keep the second syllable light but not silent.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /ɹ/ and keep /ɒ/ short and rounded; ensure you produce /ˈʒɒn.rəz/ with crisp /r/; compare to /ˈʒɔːn.rəz/ in some US dialects where /ɒ/ may tilt toward /ɔ/. - UK: towards non-rhotic tendency; you may hear a lighter /r/; focus on the initial /ʒ/ and the vowel quality; /ɒ/ tends to be more open. - AU: more rhotic in careful speech; /ɒ/ can be broader; maintain /ˈʒɔːn.rəz/ in many speakers; practice with IPA to monitor vowel length and lip rounding. Use /ɹ/ to simulate rhotic endings; if non-rhotic, tag the final -r with a light schwa.
Genres is the plural of genre, derived from French genre, from Latin genus meaning race, kind, or birth. The word entered English in the 18th century, initially used in aesthetics and philosophy to designate a class of works sharing formal or thematic characteristics. By the 19th century, genre gained widespread use in literary and artistic criticism to classify works by style, subject matter, or mode of expression. The term evolved to accommodate a broad spectrum of cultural forms, including music, film, and visual arts, with nuanced distinctions such as genre conventions, subgenres, and hybrid genres. In contemporary discourse, genres help map audience expectations, industry marketing, and academic analysis, while still allowing for cross-genre experimentation and blends like science fiction fantasy or historical romance. The word’s semantic scope thus shifted from a purely taxonomic sense to a flexible framework for understanding artistic varieties and audience segmentation.
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Words that rhyme with "Genres"
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