Korah is a proper noun, typically referring to a male given name or a biblical figure. In everyday use it denotes a name rather than a common noun, and pronunciation stresses the first syllable with a clear, open vowel, yielding two syllables overall. The name often appears in religious or historical contexts, and pronunciation should remain faithful to its original phonology when encountered in liturgical or scholarly texts.
"The scholar discussed Korah's rebellion in ancient Israelite history."
"Korah is mentioned in several biblical commentaries as a Levite who challenged Moses."
"In the sermon, the pastor referenced Korah to illustrate dissent and its consequences."
"The genealogical record lists Korah among the Levites.”"
Korah is a proper noun of Hebrew origin, appearing in the Hebrew Bible as كوֹרַה (Korah). The root may be linked to the Hebrew root קָוָה (qavah, to wait or hope) in some traditional interpretations, though most biblical linguists treat Korah as a personal name with no direct common noun meaning. In Hebrew, proper names often carried ceremonial or matronymic/biblical significance; Korah appears in the Bible as a son of Kohath, a Levite, and later as a figure associated with a rebellion against Moses. The name appears in ancient Near Eastern texts within Judeo-Christian traditions. Through translations into Greek (Korah) and Latin (Corah), the name retained its phonetic identity with limited semantic drift, mostly tied to its biblical context. In modern usage, Korah remains primarily a given name or literary reference rather than a term with broader linguistic evolution. First known use traces to early Hebrew scriptures, with later appearance in Septuagint and Vulgate translations, preserving the two-syllable cadence and the hard consonant onset in Kor- and the less-dense second syllable -ah. Over centuries, foreign-language Bible translations introduced slight vowel shifts, but the original short /o/ in the first syllable and the final /ə/ or /ɐ/ sound remained recognizable in English renditions.”,
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Words that rhyme with "Korah"
-ora sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as two syllables: KOR-ah. In US English you’ll often hear /ˈkoʊ.rə/ or /ˈkɔː.rə/, with the first syllable stressed. The UK tends toward /ˈkɒ.rə/ and the AU variety often mirrors /ˈkɒ.rə/ as well. Make sure the first vowel is short-to-mid and avoid a heavy 'ko-rah' diphthong—keep a clean break between syllables. IPA: US /ˈkoʊ.rə/ or /ˈkɔː.rə/, UK/AU /ˈkɒ.rə/.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the second syllable into the first, producing /ˈkoʊrə/ as a single beat; 2) Overemphasizing the second syllable to force an 'ah' that isn’t typical in English names; 3) Using an /ɒ/ in US speech consistently. Correction: keep the two-syllable rhythm with a clean, unstressed second syllable; use /rə/ or /rə/ with a reduced vowel and short schwa in rapid speech. Practice with a light breath between syllables to prevent coalescing.
US tends toward /ˈkoʊ.rə/ with a clear long /oʊ/ or borderline /oː/ and a schwa in the second syllable. UK often uses /ˈkɒ.rə/, shorter first vowel, closer to /ɒ/; AU mirrors UK with /ˈkɒ.rə/ or slight /oː/ depending on speaker. Rhoticity is reduced in non-US accents, so the /ɹ/ may be less pronounced in most British and Australian settings, affecting the perceived fullness of the second syllable.
The challenge lies in achieving two-syllable balance with a soft, unstressed second syllable and choosing the right first-vowel quality (/oʊ/ vs /ɒ/). For non-native speakers, the risk is merging the syllables into /ˈkoːrə/ or applying a strong, Americanized /ɑː/ in the first vowel. Additionally, teaching the precise tongue position for the /ɔ/ vs /ɒ/ vowels requires careful mouth shaping and listening to native speakers. IPA gives you a target to aim for and practice with minimal pairs.
Is the final 'h' pronounced? In most English renditions of Korah, the final 'h' is not pronounced as a breathy /h/. It ends with a rhotic-ending /rə/ or /rə/ without a voiceless breath. The final letter is not silent in a strict sense; the vowel may end with a slight, barely audible offglide, but the 'h' itself is not a separate phoneme.
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