5 syllables: Mar, gi, nal, i, ty. Stress on nal.
mahr-jin-AL-it-ee
/mɑɹdʒɪˈnælɪti/
Marginality is pronounced mahr-jin-AL-it-ee (/mɑɹdʒɪˈnælɪti/). It has five syllables (Mar-gi-nal-i-ty), with the stress on "nal". Marginality is the state of being on the edge or margin, often describing people or ideas positioned outside the center or dominant group. It denotes limited access, influence, or recognition within a larger system, and can relate to social, economic, or conceptual boundaries. The term is frequently used in sociology, politics, and philosophy to discuss exclusion and peripheral status.
nounMarginality is the state of being on the edge or margin, often describing people or ideas positioned outside the center or dominant group. It denotes limited access, influence, or recognition within a larger system, and can relate to social, economic, or conceptual boundaries. The term is frequently used in sociology, politics, and philosophy to discuss exclusion and peripheral status.
"The marginality of rural communities has been a persistent policy concern for decades."
"Scholars debated the marginality of alternative viewpoints within mainstream discourse."
"Her work challenges the marginality assigned to minority languages in education policy."
Pronounce it as /ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnælɪti/ (US: /ˌmɑːdʒənˈælɪti/). Stress falls on the third syllable: mar-gi-NAL-i-ty. Start with an /m/ followed by a clear /ɑː/ like 'spa', then /dʒ/ as in 'jury', then /ɪ/ (short i), /næl/ with 'nal' like 'naval' and /ɪ/ again, ending with /ti/. Audio references: you can compare with pronunciation sites or Cambridge/Oxford audio assets for confirmation.
Common errors include flattening the stressed syllable to /ˌmɑːɡnɪˈlɪɪti/ or pronouncing the /dʒ/ as /tʃ/. Also some speakers misplace the main stress, saying mar-GIN-ality. Correct by clearly articulating /dʒ/ as in 'juice', keeping /ˈnæl/ strong, and maintaining the secondary stress pattern around the root word. Practice with spaced repetition of the /ˌmɑːdʒɪ/ sequence and accurate /æ/ in /næ/.
In US, you’ll hear /ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnælɪti/ with rhotic /r/ absent after vowel cluster, and /æ/ in /næl/ is near-a, while UK tends toward non-rhoticity and more centralized vowel qualities; AU shares US patterns but vowels may be more centralized and slower tempo. All share the /dʒ/ cluster and final -ity, but vowel quality and flapping or tapping can vary subtly by region. Listening to native academic speakers can help you tune the subtleties.
It combines a consonant cluster /dʒ/ after an unstressed prefix and a multi-syllable stem with a final -ity. The main challenge is securing the /ˌmɑːdʒɪ/ onset while maintaining strong /næl/ stress and a clear /ti/ end. Practicing the placement of the /dʒ/ and the mid vowels /ɑː/ and /æ/ helps prevent misplacing stress and slurring the syllables together.
A useful marginality-specific query is why the vowel in the second syllable changes in connected speech: /ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnælɪti/ vs. /ˌmɑːdʒənˈælɪti/. The /ɪ/ often reduces in fast speech, shifting to a schwa in some speakers. To keep it precise, emphasize the /ɪ/ clearly in the second syllable while maintaining the /næl/ stress and final -ity tempo. This helps avoid mispronouncing as /ˌmɑːdʒəˈnælɪti/ or /ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnæləti/.
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Marginality comes from the noun margin, dating to Middle English, via Old French marge and Latin marginem (edge, border). The suffix -ality marks a state or condition, paralleling words like 'centrality' or 'normality.' The concept emerged in social and political theory in the 20th century as scholars highlighted how groups, ideas, or regions occupy peripheral positions relative to dominant institutions. Early usage often framed margins as geographic edges or economic peripheries, but the term broadened to describe social exclusion, cultural distance, and epistemic marginalization. In contemporary discourse, marginality encompasses the interaction of power, resources, and recognition, influencing policy debates, urban planning, and identity formation. First known uses appear in sociological and economic texts of the early to mid-1900s, with later, widespread adoption in critical theory and feminist, postcolonial, and political economy literature. The word now commonly appears in discussions of status, representation, and access—concepts central to understanding how societies structure inclusion and representation across multiple dimensions.
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Words that rhyme with "Marginality"
-ity sounds
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