Montage is a noun referring to a sequence of short scenes or images edited together to convey a larger idea or narrative. It is commonly used in film and media contexts to create a condensed, thematic progression. The term can also describe a rapid succession of related visuals in other media.
US: /ˈmɒn.tɑːʒ/ with a shorter /ɒ/ and slightly flatter vowels; UK: /ˈmɒn.tɑːʒ/ similar but with more non-rhoticity in careful speech; AU: /ˈmɒn.tɒːʒ/ may have a longer /ɒː/ and a more rounded /ɒ/. Ensure the final /ʒ/ is voiced and unobtrusive. Vowel differences: US tends to a quicker, clipped /ɒ/, UK and AU sustain the /ɑː/ longer; /t/ is clear in all accents; liason with surrounding consonants varies in connected speech.
"The film opened with a montage of the city at dawn."
"She created a montage of photos from her travels for the presentation."
"The trainer used a montage of workout clips to show progress."
"In the documentary, a montage illustrated the passage of time."
Montage comes from the French montage, meaning ‘a cutting, collecting, assembling,’ from the verb monter, ‘to mount, assemble, put together.’ In early cinema, montage referred to the assembly of shots into a sequence and later broadened to mean a technique of editing to convey meaning through the juxtaposition of images. The word entered English cinema discourse in the 1920s, aligning with Soviet montage theory, which emphasized dynamic editing to evoke emotion and ideas through visual sequence rather than continuous action. While the French root monter denotes mounting or assembling, the English usage modernizes it to describe a curated sequence of imagery or scenes that collectively express a concept or narrative arc. Today, montage is used widely beyond film—in music videos, slideshows, and multimedia presentations—to imply a rapid, thematically cohesive compilation. First known usage in English is linked to the early 20th century film lexicon, with the term becoming ubiquitous as editing practices evolved and visual storytelling grew more sophisticated. In contemporary usage, montage conveys both technique and result: a deliberate, time-compressed collage that paints a larger picture from smaller parts.
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Words that rhyme with "Montage"
-age sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Montage is pronounced MON-tahzh in American and British English IPA: US / ˈmɒn.tɑːʒ /, UK / ˈmɒn.tɑːʒ /. The first syllable is stressed: MON. The second syllable starts with the /t/ followed by /ɑː/ and ends with /ʒ/ as in 'measure.' Tip: think of 'mon' as in 'mon' and end with a soft 'zh' sound like the ending in 'garage' without the r. Audio reference: you can listen on Pronounce or Forvo to hear native speakers.
Common errors: misplacing stress as MON-tuhj; substituting /d/ or /tʃ/ instead of /t/; pronouncing the final /ʒ/ as /ʃ/ or /z/. Corrections: keep stress on the first syllable MON, ensure a clean /t/ release before the vowel, and articulate the final /ʒ/ with a relaxed tongue against the palate to produce the voiced postalveolar fricative. Practice with minimal pairs like MON-tage vs MON-tarz to feel the /ʒ/ vs /z/ distinction.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial /mɒn/ is similar, but vowel length can vary: US often has a slightly shorter /ɒ/; UK and AU may produce a slightly tenser /ɒː/ before /n/. The final /tɑːʒ/ can vary with rhoticity awareness and /ʒ/ realization; some speakers sub any alveolar fricative near /ʒ/ (e.g., /ʃ/). Overall, the pattern MON-tahzh stays consistent, with subtle vowel quality shifts and less rhotic influence in AU.
The difficulty lies in the final /ʒ/ sound, which is less common in some learners' languages and can be substituted with /ʃ/ or /z/. Additionally, the /ɒ/ vowel in stressed first syllable may not exist or be short in your language, causing vowel length and quality mismatches. Focus on keeping the first syllable crisp with a clear /ɒ/ and finishing with a precise, voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/.
A useful query angle is focused on the final consonant cluster /tɑːʒ/: people often search for 'how to say montage' and 'montage pronunciation audio.' Emphasize the two-syllable rhythm MON-tahzh and the subtle duration difference between /ɒ/ and /ɑː/ across accents. Including IPA and native-speaker audio references (Pronounce, Forvo) helps SEO while offering precise guidance.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Montage"!
- Shadow two-note rhythm: MON (short) + tage (longer) to feel stress. - Minimal pairs: montage/montage? Not many exact pairs, but contrast with monologue to feel /tɒʒ/ vs /lɔːɡ/ rhythm. - Rhythm practice: stress-timed pattern: MON-tage, then practice with slower – MON-tahzh, then MON-TAHZH at normal speed. - Intonation: practice with a declarative line: 'This montage shows the timeline,' rising and falling with emphasis on MON. - Stress practice: keep primary stress on the first syllable; practice with a hand pulse to feel the beat. - Recording: record yourself saying montage in sentences; compare to a native speaker and adjust vowel length and final fricative.
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