2 syllables: la, tion. Stress on la.
LAY-shuhn
/ˈleɪʃən/
lation is pronounced LAY-shuhn (/ˈleɪʃən/). It has two syllables (la-tion), with the stress on "la". Lation is a suffix-like or nonce form not widely standardized as a stand-alone word. In pronunciation contexts it is treated as a syllable sequence, typically realized with a short.
Lation is a suffix-like or nonce form not widely standardized as a stand-alone word. In pronunciation contexts it is treated as a syllable sequence, typically realized with a short
"The term 'lation' appears in linguistics as a component in compound formations, though it is rarely used alone."
"When teaching phonetics, instructors may segment words to isolate the -lation syllable for practice."
"Some learners misinterpret 'lation' as a standalone root, leading to mispronunciation in multisyllabic words."
In isolation, say li-AY-shən with a two-syllable peak on the second syllable: /ləˈeɪʃ.ən/ in US/UK/AU. The initial 'la' often reduces to a light schwa /lə/, followed by the diphthong /eɪ/ and a final /ʃən/ or /ʃn/ cluster depending on tempo. Place the tongue high-mid for /eɪ/, lips unrounded to slightly spread, and finish with a soft /ən/.
Common errors include treating /eɪ/ as a plain /e/ (say /leɪ/ instead of /ləˈeɪ/), over-stressing the initial syllable making it /ˈleɪʃən/ or truncating the final /ɒn/ to /ən/ with a clipped /l/; another slip is merging the /ʃən/ into /ʃn/ or /ən/ without clear /ʃ/ onset. Correction: begin with a neutral /ə/ or /lə/ start, produce the strong /eɪ/ nucleus in the stressed syllable, emphasize the /ʃ/ in the coda, and finish with a clean /ən/ or /ən/.
US tends to place primary stress on the second syllable with a clear /eɪ/ and a light /ən/ ending; UK often exhibits a slightly more clipped final /ən/ and a non-rhotic rless atmosphere with /ləˈeɪʃən/; Australian tends to be similar to US but with a broader /eɪ/ and a more open mouth position, sometimes showing a slight schwa reduction before /ˈeɪ/. Keep rhotic vs non-rhotic patterns in mind when linking to surrounding words.
The difficulty lies in the sequence /ləˈeɪʃən/ where you manage a reduced initial syllable, a strong diphthong nucleus, and a consonant cluster /ʃən/ which blends the /ʃ/ with a light nasal. Coordinating the timing so the /eɪ/ peak aligns with syllable stress, while not over-articulating the final /n/ in rapid speech, is challenging. Practice with controlled syllable-timed drills, focusing on the /eɪ/ diphthong clarity and the smooth /ʃ/ onset.
The unique feature is the presence of a prominent /eɪ/ in an unstressed-looking suffix-like unit, which can be treated as a stable phoneme group when teaching it in context. Practitioners should emphasize the diphthong nucleus /eɪ/ and ensure precise /ʃ/ onset of the coda, while the initial schwa can be reduced depending on emphasis. This creates a distinct two-to-three-syllable rhythm that informs multisyllabic discipline.
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US: promote rhoticity awareness and a clear /eɪ/ in the nucleus; UK: subtly non-rhotic, ensure /l/ is light and not dark; AU: similar to US but with broader vowel qualities. Vowels: US /əˈleɪʃən/ or /ləˈeɪʃən/; UK /ləˈeɪʃən/; AU /ləˈeɪʃən/. Consonants: /ʃ/ is strong but not overly prolonged; approximate mouth positions: lips relaxed, jaw moderately dropped for schwa, sides of tongue raised for /ʃ/.
The sequence 'lation' is primarily a concatenation of the suffix-like -lation, which often appears in words of Latin origin or in coined/technical terms. The appearance of -lation in English is influenced by Latin and French derivations where -lation corresponds to -lation in full words like dilation, relation, or inflation, though standalone 'lation' is not etymologically traceable as an independent lexeme. Historically, Latin -atio, -ation forms denote action or process and were borrowed into English via Old French -acion and Latin -atio/-ation. The modern orthography preserves -ation across many derivatives, with pronunciation typically reflecting a single -a- + -tion unit rather than an independent morpheme. The earliest attestations of -lation as a chunk appear in coined scientific terms in the 19th and 20th centuries, but the letter sequence existed in inherited words in earlier Latin-rooted formations, gradually giving rise to the way modern English speakers segment and pronounce multisyllabic compounds that end in -lation. First known uses are embedded in longer terms rather than as a freestanding lexical item, which influences its perception as a suffix-like fragment rather than an independent root.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "lation" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "lation" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "lation"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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