5 syllables: in, tel, li, gi, ble. Stress on tel.
in-TEL-uh-juh-buhl
/ˌɪˈntɛlədʒəbəl/
intelligible is pronounced in-TEL-uh-juh-buhl (/ˌɪˈntɛlədʒəbəl/). It has five syllables (in-tel-li-gi-ble), with the stress on "tel". Intelligible means able to be understood clearly or intelligibly, especially when speech is fluent, precise, and free of ambiguity. It refers to messages or sounds that listeners can easily grasp, often due to clear articulation, appropriate pacing, and distinct consonant-vowel sequencing. In essence, if something is intelligible, you can comprehend it without excessive effort.
Intelligible means able to be understood clearly or intelligibly, especially when speech is fluent, precise, and free of ambiguity. It refers to messages or sounds that listeners can easily grasp, often due to clear articulation, appropriate pacing, and distinct consonant-vowel sequencing. In essence, if something is intelligible, you can comprehend it without excessive effort.
- Master 2-3 phonetic challenges: 1) Stress placement and intonation pattern: place strongest stress on the third syllable (in-tell-i-ge-ble or in-te-LLI-ge-ble depending on corpora) while keeping others lighter; 2) The /dʒ/ affricate: ensure proper tongue blade contact and brief release rather than a soft 'j' or 'g' sound; 3) Final unstressed suffix: avoid over-reducing /-ɪ.bəl/ to 'ble'; keep a soft but audible schwa and a trailing /l/. - Corrections: practice the sequence TELL + /ɪ/ + /dʒ/ + /ə/ + /bəl/ with careful timing; use minimal pairs to contrast with similar words like 'intelligible' vs 'intelligibly' vs 'intelligent' to notice pitch and syllabic differences. - Tip: slow down at the middle to clearly separate /tɛl/ and /dʒ/; then speed up gradually while keeping the same articulatory settings. Record yourself and compare with native samples. - Finally, ensure air flow is steady; avoid gulping or pulling lips in at the end; maintain a light but audible final /əl/.
"Her lecture was so well enunciated that her arguments were readily intelligible to a non-specialist audience."
"Despite the heavy accent, the speaker remained intelligible throughout the talk."
"The recording was distorted, but the narrator’s words stayed intelligible enough to follow the plot."
Answer as earlier: /ˌɪn.tɛlˈɪdʒ.ə.bəl/ (US). The primary stress is on the third syllable; articulate /t/ clearly before the /ɛl/ and realize /dʒ/ as a distinct affricate. Mouth shape: start with a relaxed front tongue, tip touching gum ridge for /t/, then raise the blade for /dʒ/ with a brief stop release. Refer to pronunciation dictionaries or Forvo to hear multiple speakers.
Avoid misplacing stress on the second or fourth syllable; ensure /t/ remains perceptible (not a flapped /ɾ/). Don’t blend /dʒ/ into a simple /j/; keep a clear /dʒ/ segment. Also resist over-reducing the final /ɪ.bəl/ into a quick 'ble' without the vowel. Practicing with a metronome at slow tempo helps maintain cadence.
US tends to maintain a sharper /t/ and a precise /dʒ/; UK often shows subtle vowel shifts in the middle vowels and less rhoticity in fast speech; AU shares US-like rhotics but with slightly reduced vowel space and more conservative final syllable stress patterns. Overall, ensure the stressed syllable is crisp and that the /dʒ/ is audible in all accents to preserve intelligibility.
Because of the multi-syllabic structure and the consonant cluster around the mid-syllable (/ntɛl/), plus the /dʒ/ sound requires precise tongue blade positioning and brief release. The final unstressed /-bəl/ can be reduced or swallowed. Focus on the three key segments: crisp /t/, audible /dʒ/, and a clear final /bəl/ to maintain intelligibility.
The major unique feature is the clear enunciation of the /dʒ/ sequence immediately after the stressed /ˈlɛl/, bridging into the /ə/ of the final syllable. Many learners blur the boundary between /l/ and /dʒ/. Practice by isolating /l/ → /dʒ/ with a short pause and precise tongue blade action, so the 'edge' sound remains distinct within the word’s flow.
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- US: Crisp /t/ and distinct /dʒ/; rhotic or non-rhotic influence is lower in this word; vowels may be more tense in stressed syllable /ˈlɛl/. - UK: Slightly more centralized vowels; less rhotic; ensure /t/ remains audible and that /e/ is not overly reduced; final syllable may be lighter with /əl/ sounding softer. - AU: Similar to UK but with vowels often a touch more open and monosyllabic; keep a clear /dʒ/ and avoid throatier/ glottalized consonants in middle; use IPA targets to calibrate mouth shapes across dialect parents. - Helpful strategies: practice with IPA-based breath control; use a mirror to monitor lips and tongue; listen to native speakers across platforms (Pronounce, YouGlish) to map the exact mouth positions. - Vowel focus: for /ɪ/ vs /ɛ/ in the stressed syllable, aim for a near-close near-front vowel; avoid lowering the jaw too much. - Rhythm: aim for three-stressed syllables mattering: in-TA-lli-ge-ble; ensure the beat aligns with your rhythm patterns. - Consonants: ensure the /t/ is not flapped; keep /l/ clear before /dʒ/; end with a light /əl/ that does not vanish.
Intelligible comes from Latin intelligibilis, formed from inter- (between) and abile (able) via the French intelligible and English adaptation. The root intellig- derives from intelligere, to understand, perceive, or discern. Intelligere itself is a composite of inter (between) and legere (to read, choose, select). The semantic path reflects the idea of reading or perceiving meaning within multiple elements, thus understanding. In medieval and Renaissance usage, intelligibilis denoted something capable of being understood or grasped. In English, intelligible emerged as a descriptor for speech or texts that could be comprehended with clarity and logical coherence, often in rhetorical or scholastic contexts. In the 18th to 20th centuries, scholars and linguists used intelligible to discuss articulation, phonetics, and the intelligibility of language across dialects and accents. The term also intersects with psychology and communication studies when considering how listeners parse imperfect cues into meaning. As audio technology and cross-cultural communication expanded, intelligibility became a practical measure of how easily spoken content can be understood, prompting analyses in phonetics, speech therapy, and language education. First known uses appear in early modern English lexicography and academic treatises discussing rhetoric and comprehension, with time confirming its staying power as a precise term for auditory clarity and interpretability across contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "intelligible"
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