2 syllables: hodg, son. Stress on hodg.
HAHJ-suhn
/ˈhɑdʒsən/
hodgson is pronounced HAHJ-suhn (/ˈhɑdʒsən/). It has two syllables (hodg-son), with the stress on "hodg". Hodgson is a proper noun, most commonly a surname, pronounced as a two-syllable name with the emphasis on the first: /ˈhɒdʒsən/ in British English and /ˈhɑːdʒsən/ in many American varieties. The second syllable is a schwa, and the initial cluster includes a voiceless postalveolar affricate. It is not typically anglicized beyond this, though regional vowel shifts may alter the exact quality of the vowels.
Hodgson is a proper noun, most commonly a surname, pronounced as a two-syllable name with the emphasis on the first: /ˈhɒdʒsən/ in British English and /ˈhɑːdʒsən/ in many American varieties. The second syllable is a schwa, and the initial cluster includes a voiceless postalveolar affricate. It is not typically anglicized beyond this, though regional vowel shifts may alter the exact quality of the vowels.
"The Hodgson family welcomed guests to their garden party."
"A famous Hodgson scored the goal in last season’s match."
"I’m reading a biography of Hodgson and his influence on the club."
Pronounce it as two syllables with stress on the first: /ˈhɒdʒ.sən/ in UK English or /ˈhɑː.dʒsən/ in many US varieties. Start with an open back vowel, then the /dʒ/ affricate like 'judge', followed by a reduced second syllable /sən/ with a soft, unstressed schwa in the middle. Keep the /dʒ/ as a single sound, not /d/ + /ʒ/. You’ll notice a slight reduction in the second vowel depending on the accent.
Common errors include over-articulating the /dʒ/ as two separate sounds (/d/ + /ʒ/), and over-enunciating the second syllable making it /sɔn/ or /sɛn/. Another mistake is misplacing the stress on the second syllable, or flattening the first vowel to a pure /ɒ/ or /ɑ/. To correct, practice the /dʒ/ as a single unit right after the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ and keep the second syllable reduced to /sən/.
In US varieties, the first vowel tends toward /ɑː/ or /ɒ/ with a rhotic r absence in the syllable boundary and a stronger /s/ onset in the second syllable; UK English often has a shorter, clipped /ɒ/ and a non-rhotic tendency with a smoother /sən/. Australian may feature a broader /ɒ/ and vowel height adjustments, with a rolled or tapped t-like quality only if followed by a consonant. Overall, the second syllable remains /-sən/ across accents." ,
The difficulty lies in the combination /dʒ/ immediately after a short back vowel and the second syllable reduction to /sən/. Non-native speakers may mispronounce the cluster as /dʒd/ or misplace the stress. The silent-ish quality of the second syllable in rapid speech adds to the challenge. Focus on keeping /dʒ/ as a single gesture and letting the second syllable relax to /sən/.
The name features a clean two-syllable rhythm with a strong initial stress and a brief, reduced second syllable that hides in continuous speech. The /dʒ/ works as the core consonant connecting the first vowel to the final schwa, and must be produced as a single affricate rather than a sequence. Correcting the vowel length of the first syllable and maintaining the schwa in the second are key to natural pronunciation.
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Hodgson derives from Old Norse influences via Anglo-Naxon and Scandinavian settlement patterns in the British Isles, ultimately forming as a patronymic surname meaning ‘son of Hǫggr’ or ‘son of Hǫdgr’ in some variants. The name components include the given names or elements Hǫggr/Hodgr (meaning ‘hook’, ‘call’ or possibly a personal name) combined with -son, a common Norse-derived suffix in English surnames that signifies ‘son of.’ Its earliest recognitions appear in medieval records, including charters and tax lists, where Hodgson-like spellings emerge in the North of England and the Lake District. The spelling evolved under English scribal conventions and has undergone minimal changes since the 16th century, preserving the core pronunciation centered on the first syllable. The surname spread widely through emigration and diaspora, retaining its root form while localizing in pronunciation, especially in regions with strong non-rhotic (British) or rhotic (American) tendencies. First known use is evidenced in late medieval England, with records such as Hodgson variants appearing in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cumberland as families adopted hereditary surnames.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hodgson" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "hodgson"
-son sounds
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