2 syllables: la, goons. Stress on goons.
luh-GOONZ
/ləˈɡunz/
lagoons is pronounced luh-GOONZ (/ləˈɡunz/). It has two syllables (la-goons), with the stress on "goons". Lagoons are shallow coastal bodies of seawater separated from the sea by barriers such as sandbars or coral formations. The plural form lagoons refers to multiple such water features. The term emphasizes protected, brackish or saline waters that support distinct ecosystems, often with tidal exchange occurring through inlets.
Lagoons are shallow coastal bodies of seawater separated from the sea by barriers such as sandbars or coral formations. The plural form lagoons refers to multiple such water features. The term emphasizes protected, brackish or saline waters that support distinct ecosystems, often with tidal exchange occurring through inlets.
- Misplacing the stress (saying LA-goons or la-GOONZ) You’ll hear and feel the syllable boundary; keep stress on GOON. - Shortening /uː/ to /u/ or /ʊ/ (lagoons vs lagoons) Focus on sustaining the long /uː/ before the final consonant cluster; practice with elongated vowel on /uː/. - Final cluster confusion (/nz/ vs /z/ or /s/) Ensure you articulate the nasal before the voiced alveolar nasal and release into /z/; practice with two-word phrases like lagoons inlet to feel the link.
"The island hosts a series of turquoise lagoons ideal for snorkeling."
"Researchers studied the lagoons to understand sediment deposition patterns."
"Tourists rented kayaks to explore the lagoons at low tide."
Say la-GOONZ, with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with /l/ followed by /æ/ or /ə/ depending on your dialect, then /ɡuː/ as a single syllable, and finish with /nz/ or /nz/ depending on voicing. IPA: US/UK/AU: læˈɡuːnz or ləˈɡuːnz (depending on whether you use a lax or full mid vowel in the first syllable). In careful speech, maintain /ˈuː/ for a clear long vowel before the final /nz/. Audio resources: Pronounce or YouGlish can provide native examples.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress as la-GO-ons or LA-goons; keep stress on the second syllable: la-GOONs. 2) Shortening the /uː/ to /ʊ/ or /ɜː/ leading to lacoon-like sound; ensure a full long /uː/. 3) Final cluster /nz/ becoming /z/ or /s/; aim for an audible /nz/ with a nasal-nucleus before the voiced alveolar nasal. Correct by practicing with minimal pairs and focusing on the /uː/ and /nz/ combination.
In US English, lagoons is typically /ləˈɡuːnz/ with a schwa or light vowel in the first syllable and strong /ɡuː/ followed by /nz/. UK English often shows /lɒˈɡuːnz/ in some dialects with a shorter first vowel, while Australian tends toward /ləˈɡuːnz/ with a slightly flatter vowel sound in the first syllable and clear /nz/ final. The rhoticity is less about lagoons, as the word itself doesn’t require an r; the main variation is the first syllable vowel quality and the strength of the final nasal cluster.
Difficulties come from the diphthong or long vowel /uː/ after /ɡ/ and the final /nz/ cluster, which requires precise tongue positioning to avoid turning it into /z/ or /ns/. Another challenge is maintaining correct stress on the second syllable in connected speech, especially when speaking quickly. Finally, the preceding /l/ and /ɡ/ combination can cause coarticulation shifts; keep the tongue high for /uː/ and avoid inserting extra vowels.
The sequence /ɡuːn/ in lagoons has the /uː/ long vowel followed by a voiced nasal and alveolar fricative. The transition from /ɡ/ to /uː/ to /nz/ requires precise timing, as the /nz/ cluster must remain clear without becoming a simple /nz/ assimilation. Additionally, the plural suffix -s adds a voiceless end that often blends with the preceding /z/ or /s/ in fast speech; practice ensuring the /z/ voice aligns with the preceding /n/ to preserve the /nz/ sound.
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- US: rhotic and flat r generally absent in lagoons; pure /l/ followed by /ə/ or /læ/ depending on speaker. Vowel length in /uː/ is maintained; you’ll hear a strong, clear long vowel before /nz/. - UK: more variable first vowel; often /lɒɡuːnz/ or /ləˈɡuːnz/ with a crisper /ɡ/. Final /nz/ maintained; non-rhotic tendency means less pronounced r sounds around the word boundary. - AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels; watch out for non-rhotic tendencies; /uː/ remains long and the /nz/ is crisp. IPA references included.
The word lagoon comes from the Italian lagoona, from Latin lacuna meaning ‘pool’ or ‘pit,’ or the archaic Italian laguna meaning ‘lagoon’ or ‘pool of water.’ The English adoption likely stems from late Middle English usage influenced by maritime contexts; it broadly referred to a shallow body of water separated from a larger sea by a barrier. The plural lagoons formed through regular English noun pluralization. Historically, lagoons have been identified in coastal geographies worldwide, with the concept formalized in hydrology and coastal erosion studies in the 19th and 20th centuries as scientists documented barrier-island systems and their enclosed waters. The sense of a sheltered, shallow saline or brackish water body adjacent to the sea became common in geographic literature and field guides within coastal ecology and tourism discourse, establishing lagoons as distinct ecological zones often connected by tidal channels. First known usages appear in English-language geographic descriptions of littoral landscapes from the 16th to 18th centuries, with increasing precision in the 19th century as cartographic and descriptive terminology matured.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "lagoons" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "lagoons"
-nes sounds
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