3 syllables: man, u, al. Stress on man.
MAN-yoo-uhl
/ˈmænjuəl/
manual is pronounced MAN-yoo-uhl (/ˈmænjuəl/). It has three syllables (man-u-al), with the stress on "man". Manual refers to something done by hand or a handbook providing instructions. It can describe tools operated by hand or a guide that instructs how to perform tasks. In specialized contexts, manual denotes a physical category (manual dexterity) or a manual as a book of instructions. The term carries a pragmatic, hands-on connotation across disciplines.
Manual refers to something done by hand or a handbook providing instructions. It can describe tools operated by hand or a guide that instructs how to perform tasks. In specialized contexts, manual denotes a physical category (manual dexterity) or a manual as a book of instructions. The term carries a pragmatic, hands-on connotation across disciplines.
- You might chill the /æ/ into a lazy vowel or lengthen the second syllable too much; aim for a crisp first syllable and a quick, barely-there second syllable. - Your /n/ could be too heavy or too light; ensure a clean alveolar closure with a tight tongue tip. - The /j/ may be inserted as a separate sound; practice the quick transition from /n/ to /j/ without a pause. - Final /əl/ is often pronounced as /əl/ with a strong rhotic quality in some dialects; keep it light and neutral, with the lip rounded slightly for /u/ in the middle.
"She opened the manual to learn how to set up the device."
"The technician performed a manual override when the system failed."
"In the workshop, manual skills were emphasized over automation."
Pronounce as MAN-yoo-əl in US and UK, with two primary syllables and a subtle second-syllable schwa. IPA: US ˈmæ.nju.əl, UK ˈmæn.ju.əl, AU ˈmæ.nju.əl. Stress falls on the first syllable. Begin with an open front unrounded vowel for /mæ/ or /mæn/, then glide to /j/ before the final /əl/ sound, gently reducing the final syllable to a light schwa before the l. Use a clean, quick release for the /n/ and a slight y- glider before the /u/.
Two common errors: (1) treating the second syllable as a full syllable with a strong vowel instead of a schwa; make it /njʊ/ or /nju/ toward a light /əl/. (2) Misplacing the /j/; ensure you transition smoothly from /n/ to /j/ without a pause. Practice: say /mæ nju əl/ in slow, then blend to /mænjʊəl/ with a soft, quick /j/ after the /n/. Focus on a tight jaw and a rounded lip for the final /əl/.
In US English, the /æ/ in the first vowel is pronounced as a short, open front vowel with a clear /æ/; the /ju/ becomes /juː/ with a light y-glide. UK English often maintains /æ/ but can sound crisper with a slightly longer /uː/ in some dialects; the /l/ may be clearer. Australian English tends to be similar to US but may have less vowel length in the final syllable and a tendency toward a more centralized vowel in the final /əl/. Overall, the key is the /æ/ (or /æ/ vs /ɑː/ in some British dialects) and the /j/ glide before the final schwa.
The difficulty centers on three cues: (1) the short, tense /æ/ vowel in the first syllable can drift toward /e/ or /a/ in rapid speech. (2) The /nj/ sequence creates a tricky y-glide; avoid inserting a hard /j/; keep it as a light transition. (3) The final /əl/ can be reduced or elided in fast speech; maintain a crisp, light schwa before the clear L to keep the word audible.
Yes: the combination of /mæ/ (or /mæn/), a mid /n/ followed by a /j/ glide, and a short /əl/ requires a smooth, continuous transition without stacking vowels. The hardest part is the /nj/ cluster; ensure your tongue moves from alveolar /n/ to a palatal /j/ without an audible break, then settles into a light schwa + l. Practicing with minimal pairs like man*yu*al vs man*yale* helps sharpen this transition.
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US: maintain rhoticity and a stronger /æ/ with a clear /n/ and a prominent /j/ glide to /əl/. UK: may have crisper /æ/ and shorter /u/; non-rhotic tendencies can influence the ending; AU: often vowels blend to a lighter /ə/ in the final syllable, with a subtle /l/ and a less pronounced /j/ glide. Use IPA guides: /ˈmæ.nju.əl/, /ˈmæn.ju.əl/, /ˈmæ.nju.əl/; consider a relaxed jaw and slightly forward tongue in AU for tighter vowel transitions.
Manual comes from the Latin manus, meaning hand, and the suffix -alis, meaning pertaining to. The word entered English in the medieval period, initially referring to things done by hand or by hand-operated tools. In the 15th–16th centuries, manual began to describe physical labors or devices requiring hand use. By the 17th century, manual also extended to written manuals—handbooks that instruct operators. In modern usage, manual can refer to a book of instructions (the manual) or to manual labor (labor performed by hand). The evolution reflects a shift from the tactile sense of hand to the broader idea of guided, user-directed procedures. Across technical fields, manuals consolidate procedural knowledge into stepwise formats, and the term remains common in engineering, computing, and everyday life. The sense of “hand” remains central, and even in digital contexts, a manual often contrasts with automated or automatic processes, communicating human-operated or written guidance that emphasizes user intervention and control.
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Words that rhyme with "manual"
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