2 syllables: judg, ments. Stress on judg.
/ˈdʒʌdʒmənts/
Say it backJudgments refers to assessments or conclusions formed about someone or something, often based on analysis, evidence, or criteria. It can also denote formal decisions issued by an authority or tribunal. The term encompasses subjective opinions and objective determinations, frequently with implications for behavior, policy, or consequences.
- You might insert an unnecessary vowel in the second syllable, saying /ˈdʒə.dʒɛmənts/ instead of /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mən(ts)/. Focus on keeping the second syllable light and schwa-like. - Another mistake is over-articulating the final /t/ before the /s/; in rapid speech, you may merge /t/ into a light /s/ and make it /-mənz/. - Finally, misplacing primary stress, especially if you’re influenced by plural forms like 'judgements' (British accepted spelling); keep the primary stress on the first syllable. Corrections: practice the sequence JUDGE-ment-s; ensure the /dʒ/ is crisp, the /ə/ in the second syllable is weak, and the final cluster is de-voiced appropriately when fast.
"The committee issued several judgments on the proposed policy changes."
"Your judgments about risky behavior should be guided by evidence, not hunches."
"The judge's judgments in the case set important legal precedents."
You pronounce it as /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mən(t)s/ in US and UK. The primary stress is on the first syllable: 'JUDG'. The second syllable is a schwa-like 'mən' in fluent speech, followed by the optional 't' sound in casual speech, which may be devoiced or silent in rapid speech. IPA: US/UK /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mən(t)s/. Mouth: start with a voiced postalveolar affricate for 'j' /dʒ/, then the 'uh' as in 'cup', then 'j' again, then 'm' with a light, quick 'n' before the final 'ts' cluster. Practicing slowly: J-uh-J-ment-s, then blend.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable as a full 'ment' like 'judgment' (singular) or saying 'judge-ments' with extra vowel length. Some speakers reduce the second syllable too much, saying 'juh-dgments' without the clear /mən/ portion, or omit the final /s/ in rapid speech. Another error is misplacing stress or creating /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənz/ with an extra z sound. Corrections: emphasize the /mən/ as a light, unstressed schwa-M consonant cluster before the final /t s/; ensure the 't' is lightly released or merged with /s/ depending on speech rate.
US: /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mən(t)s/ with rhotic /ɹ/ not involved; UK: /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənts/ and possible weaker final s; AU: /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənz/ with often a slightly more centralized vowel in the second syllable and a clear final /z/ instead of /ts/ in rapid connected speech. The key differences are the treatment of the second syllable vowel (ə vs ɪ/ɜ) and the final consonant cluster realization (t+s) being released or merged. In fast speech, final /t/ may be lost in some dialects, making it /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənz/.
The difficulty lies in the final consonant cluster -s /-ts/ after a weak syllable; the second syllable has a reduced vowel /ə/ that blends with the following consonants, demanding precise timing. Also, the juxtaposition of /dʒ/ in both initial and medial positions can challenge non-native speakers to keep a crisp affricate rather than a simple /d/ or /j/ sound. Finally, maintaining stress on the first syllable while ensuring the second syllable remains subtle and the final /s/ is audible requires controlled muscle tension and breath support.
Yes. The plural '-ments' keeps the /mən/ sequence rather than a simple /mənts/ or /mɛnts/; you should glide from the /dʒ/ to the schwa-like /ə/ before the syllabic /n/ and then release into /ts/ or /s/ depending on the pace. The interplay of a light /t/ release with the /s/ at the end matters: in careful speech, you’ll hear a brief /t/ before the /s/; in fast speech, this /t/ may be devoiced or omitted, making it sound like /-mənz/.
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- US: Keep rhoticity neutral; ensure the /r/ is not introduced in this word as there is none; the second syllable uses /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker, with light /m/ and a clear final /ts/ or /s/. IPA reference: /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mən(t)s/. - UK: May have a slightly reduced second syllable vowel: /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənts/ or /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənz/; final cluster tends to be more audible, with a crisp /t/ before /s/ in careful speech. - AU: Tends toward /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənz/ with a more nasalized or centralized second syllable; final /z/ is common in fast speech.
Judgment comes from Old French jugement, from Latin iudicāmentum, from iudicāre meaning 'to judge, decide'. The Latin iudicium itself combines ius (justice, law) and dicere (to say). In Middle English, judgment broadened from legal verdicts to the sense of forming an opinion. The plural judgments appeared with standardization in Early Modern English, aligning with other abstract nouns formed with -ment. The word has long carried dual senses: a formal adjudication by a court and a mental assessment or estimate. Over time, in everyday language, judgments increasingly refer to personal opinions rather than legal determinations, though formal contexts still retain the singular/plural distinction in jurisprudence and policy discourse. First known uses in Latin survive in classical legal texts, while English adoption appears in the late medieval period with expanding legal and theological vocabularies.
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Words that rhyme with "judgments"
-nts sounds
-ts? sounds
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