2 syllables: gor, ges. Stress on gor.
GAWR-juhz
/ˈɡɔɹdʒəz/
gorges is pronounced GAWR-juhz (/ˈɡɔɹdʒəz/). It has two syllables (gor-ges), with the stress on "gor". Gorges refers to narrow valleys between hills or mountains, often with steep sides and a river running through them. In plural form, it can describe multiple such landforms, or refer to the act of swallowing greedily in some contexts, though the common geographic meaning remains dominant. The word carries a slightly formal, descriptive tone when used geologically or topographically.
Gorges refers to narrow valleys between hills or mountains, often with steep sides and a river running through them. In plural form, it can describe multiple such landforms, or refer to the act of swallowing greedily in some contexts, though the common geographic meaning remains dominant. The word carries a slightly formal, descriptive tone when used geologically or topographically.
- Misplacing stress: Some learners place primary stress on the second syllable, effectively saying gor-GEZ instead of GOR-gez. Ensure the first syllable carries the dominant stress. - Slurring the affricate /dʒ/: Avoid pronouncing as /dj/ or /dz/. Practice the crisp /dʒ/ with a quick tongue tip contact at the alveolar ridge. - Ending with a hard /z/: Let the final /z/ be voiced and steady, not a hiss or a clipped /s/.
"- The Colorado River carved deep gorges through the canyon over millions of years."
"- Tour guides noted several limestone gorges along the trail."
"- After the flood, the gorges appeared more dramatic from the overlook."
/ˈɡɔːrdʒɪz/ in US, /ˈɡɔːdʒɪz/ in UK/AU. Start with a stressed 'GOR' where the vowel is an open-mid back rounded vowel like 'aw' in 'saw' or 'caw.' Then glide into /dʒ/ as in 'judge,' followed by /ɪ/ or a reduced /ɪ/ before the /z/. Mind the final /z/ voice. For most speakers, it sounds like 'GOR-zhiz' with the /ɡ/ retained and the /r/ lightly pronounced in American English.
Common errors include misplacing stress as on the second syllable (like 'gor-GES'), pronouncing /ɔːr/ as /ɔː/ without the lightly rhotic r, and misreading the /dʒ/ cluster as a hard /g/ or /j/ sound. To correct, keep steady primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈɡɔːrdʒɪz/ in US, and ensure the /dʒ/ is a single affricate after the /ɔːr/ vowel, then a brief /ɪ/ before /z/. Practice with a mirror to feel the /dʒ/ jaw contraction and keep the tongue from flipping to /z/ too early.
In US English, you’ll hear a robust rhotic /r/ in the first syllable and a clear /dʒ/ after the vowel, resulting in /ˈɡɔːrdʒɪz/. UK and AU variants tend to have a non-rhotic feel in some speakers, giving /ˈɡɔːdʒɪz/ or /ˈɡɔːdʒɪz/ with weaker post-vocalic /r/. Australian often lies between, with a pronounced /ɡ/ and a less pronounced /r/, but still with a distinct /dʒ/ sound. The vowel quality may shift slightly: /ɔː/ vs. /ɒ/ in broader accents.
The challenge lies in the /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ vowel plus the /dʒ/ affricate, which requires a smooth tongue blade curl and quick transition to a voiceless /z/ at the end. Non-native speakers often mispronounce /dʒ/ as /dj/ or misplace the stress, leading to 'gor-jiz' or 'gorge-iz.' Mastery comes from practicing the single affricate /dʒ/ with a brief tongue tip contact to the alveolar ridge, and maintaining a steady, held first syllable stress.
The combined /ɡ/ + /ɔːr/ sequence followed by /dʒ/ is a notable feature. You’ll feel the back of the tongue rise for /ɡ/ and the tongue blade contact for /dʒ/. The vowel in the first syllable is a long back rounded sound that can be challenging for languages without a similar /ɔː/ quality. Focus on a precise, short /dʒ/ release before the final /z/ and keep the end soft rather than drawling into /ɪz/.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /ɹ/ in the first syllable; vowel length is slightly longer. - UK: allow a softer /r/-less environment; maintain /ɔː/ quality and a briefer /dʒ/ transition. - AU: typically non-rhotic but with clear /dʒ/; keep the first vowel rounded and the diphthong stabilized. All share /dʒ/ after /ɔː/ and end with /z/; IPA keys: US /ˈɡɔːrdʒɪz/, UK /ˈɡɔːdʒɪz/, AU /ˈɡɔːdʒɪz/.
Gorges comes from the French word gorge, meaning throat or pass, which in turn derives from the Vulgar Latin word gurga, from the Latin gurgitus meaning throat or gullet. The sense expanded from throat-like passes to geographic canyons as a metaphor for narrow, enclosed spaces carved by water. In English, the plural form gorges has been used since at least the 16th century, often in travel writing and geology to describe striking deep clefts or chasms. The term aligns with other toponyms for landscapes featuring dramatic vertical relief, such as gorge and canyon, and has retained a formal, somewhat scientific tone in professional descriptions of terrain. First known uses appear in early modern geography texts and travelogues where explorers and geologists documented dramatic river-carved valleys. Over time, the word has broadened slightly to include collective references to multiple such formations or to describe the act of swallowing greedily in a different sense, though the geographic meaning remains primary in most contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "gorges"
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