3 syllables: in, flec, tion. Stress on flec.
/ˌɪnˈflɛkʃən/
Say it backInflection refers to a change in the form of a word (often via affixes) to express grammatical functions such as tense, number, mood, or voice. It can also denote a modulation of pitch or tone in speaking, or a bending of a line or shape in geometry. In linguistics, inflection encompasses the systematic variation that marks grammatical categories.
"- English verbs show inflection for tense, as in 'talk' vs. 'talked'."
"- The noun's plural inflection in 'cats' signals number."
"- In poetry, the singer's inflection enhances emotion."
Inflection is pronounced /ɪnˈflɛk.ʃən/ in US and UK English. Primary stress is on the second syllable: in-FLEC-tion. Start with a short, lax 'i' sound as in 'kit', then the 'n' blend, followed by a clear 'fleck' /flɛk/ with an aspirated 'f' and a light 'sion' /ʃən/. In careful speech, the 't' is not fully released beyond the /ʃ/ onset; you hear /-ʃən/ at the end. Mouth position: lips neutral to spread for /f/, teeth touching for /f/, tongue tip at alveolar ridge for /n/ and /l/.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying in-FLEC-tion; correct with primary stress on the second syllable: /ɪnˈflɛk.ʃən/. (2) Slurring the 'n' and 'l' into a single liquid sequence; practice with isolated /n/ and /l/ before the /ɪ/ vowel. (3) Mispronouncing /ɪ/ as /iː/ or /eɪ/; keep a short lax 'i' as in 'kit'. Correction: rehearse the sequence using a slow tempo, tapping the syllable break: in- / on- / fleece- / shən. Ensure the /ʃ/ is clear rather than a simple /s/ or /ʃ/ merged with /ə/.
US/UK/AU share /ɪnˈflɛk.ʃən/ but vowel quality and syllable timing vary. US tends to shorter, clipped final syllable; UK may have slightly crisper /tʃən/ and more rounded preceding vowels. Australian often has a flatter vowel in /ɪ/ and a slightly broader /ɪn/ onset; the /ɪ/ can sound closer to /ɪə/ to some listeners due to accent diphthong tendencies. Across all, the primary stress remains on the second syllable: in-FLEC-tion, with the /ʃə/ realized as /ʃən/ in casual speech.
The difficulty stems from the syllable boundary and the /fl/ cluster: /nˈflɛk/ includes an /n/ immediately before a strong /fl/ onset, which can be awkward for non-native speakers. The /ɪ/ vowel in the first syllable is lax and short, quickly giving way to /n/. The /ʃən/ ending can sound like /ʃn/ if not careful, so keep the /ʃ/ distinct and avoid adding extra vowels. Practice with slow rhythm and graded pace to anchor the timing between consonant clusters and the soft vowel.
There is no silent letter in inflection. Each letter contributes to the syllable structure: in- (with /ɪ/ and /n/), flec- (with /fl/ onset and /ɛk/ vowel), -tion (with /ʃən/ ending). The tricky part is producing the /fl/ sequence and the /ɪ/ vowel in the first syllable, followed by the /ɪən/ or /ən/ in the final syllable depending on accent. Focus on keeping /t/ slightly released before the /ʃ/ if you articulate an explicit /t/ in careful speech, otherwise the /t/ can blend.
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US/UK/AU differences: US often shorter vowels and faster rhythm; UK emphasizes precise /fl/ cluster and crisper /t/ timing before /ʃən/, slightly more rounded vowels; AU similar to US but with flatter vowels and less glottalization. Vowel notes: /ɪ/ in first syllable is a lax short vowel; /ɛ/ in /flɛk/ is a mid-open vowel; /ə/ in /ən/ reduces to schwa; rhoticity: rhoticity does not affect inflection since /r/ is not present. IPA references: US /ɪnˈflɛk.ʃən/, UK /ɪnˈflɛk.ʃən/, AU /ɪnˈflɛk.ʃən/.
Inflection comes from the Latin inflectionem, meaning a bending or turning, from in- 'toward' or 'into' + flectere 'to bend.' In Latin grammar, inflectio referred to the bending of nouns, adjectives, and verbs to indicate case, number, tense, mood, or voice. The term entered English via Old French inflexion and Middle English infleccion, retaining the sense of bending or turning shape. In historical linguistics, inflection distinguished synthetic languages (rich morphology) from analytic languages (reliant on word order). Over time, ‘inflection’ in English narrowed primarily to grammatical morphology—suffixes, endings, and internal vowel changes—while in rhetoric and phonetics it also denotes pitch variation. First attested in English scripture and scholastic Latin translations around the 14th–16th centuries, the term matured in grammars of the 17th–19th centuries as linguistics formalized morphological categories.
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Words that rhyme with "inflection"
-ion sounds
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