4 syllables: Mu, ti, la, tion. Stress on la.
myoo-tuh-LAY-shuhn
/ˌmjutəˈleɪʃən/
Mutilation is pronounced myoo-tuh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌmjutəˈleɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Mu-ti-la-tion), with the stress on "la". Mutilation is the act or process of severely injuring or disfiguring something or someone, often causing lasting damage. It is typically intentional and involves the deformation or destruction of a body part or object. The term can also be used in a broader, figurative sense to denote extreme alteration or harm.
nounMutilation is the act or process of severely injuring or disfiguring something or someone, often causing lasting damage. It is typically intentional and involves the deformation or destruction of a body part or object. The term can also be used in a broader, figurative sense to denote extreme alteration or harm.
- You might rush the /tɪ/ and blur it into /tʃ/ or /dʒ/ sounds. Slow the transition: /tɪ/ should be a clean stop before /leɪ/. - The /juː/ can merge with the preceding /m/ if you don’t keep the onset strong; keep a brief /j/ glide between /m/ and /uː/. - In fast speech, the unstressed vowels /ɪ/ and /ə/ can reduce; practice maintaining /ɪ/ in the second syllable to retain clarity. - Finally, the /ʃən/ ending can sound like /ʃn/; practice linking the /ʃ/ and /ən/ without dropping the /ə/ in casual speech.
"The museum condemned the mutilation of artifacts that had been vandalized."
"In the post-apocalyptic novel, the city bears the scars of years of mutilation and war."
"The surgeon warned that improper handling could lead to mutilation of the tissue."
You say miu-tuh-LAY-shuhn with the primary stress on the third syllable. IPA: US ˌmjuː.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən; UK ˌmjuː.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən; AU ˌmjuː.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən. Start with the “m” sound, move to “you” as a light “yu” /mjuː/, then “tih” /tɪ/, “LAY” /leɪ/, and finish with “shən” /ʃən/. Mouth positions: lips rounded for /juː/ before /t/, tongue high for /ɪ/, jaw relatively relaxed for /ə/ in unstressed positions, and a clear /ʃ/ before /ən/.
Common errors include reducing it to mu-ti-LAY-shuh n with incorrect stress or misplacing the stress on the first or second syllable. Some speakers insert an extra /ə/ between /tɪ/ and /leɪ/ or mispronounce /juː/ as a short /ju/ sound. To correct: ensure the /mjuː/ cluster is kept together, stress the third syllable /leɪ/, and end with /ʃən/ rather than /ʃən/ voal. Practice the full four-syllable rhythm: mju-tih-LAY-tion, with a light, quick /t/ rather than a heavy stop.
In US, the /juː/ is often a smooth /juː/ after /m/, with clear /tɪ/ and the stressed /ˈleɪ/. UK tends to maintain the same sequence but with slightly tighter vowel quality and less diphthongal movement in /leɪ/. Australian often mirrors US but with a slightly tighter vowel in /leɪ/ and a non-rhotic /r/ absent, while /t/ can be a softer tap in some registers. Overall, rhoticity doesn’t affect this word much, but vowel quality in /leɪ/ and the speed of syllable transitions can differ.
The difficulty mostly comes from the /mjuː/ cluster followed by /tɪ/ and a stressed /leɪ/; the sequence requires precise timing to avoid a clipped /mju/ or an early /tɪ/. The /ʃən/ ending can blur in rapid speech. Additionally, the mid vowels /ɪ/ and /ə/ in unstressed positions can reduce, making the word sound like muh-ti-LAY-shən unless you overemphasize. Practice linking the syllables and keeping the /t/ crisp but not harsh.
A key feature is maintaining the strong stress on the third syllable while keeping a clean onset between /tɪ/ and /leɪ/. Do not fuse /tɪ/ with /leɪ/ into a single smooth sound; pronounce them as distinct syllables to preserve the four-syllable rhythm: mju-tih-LAY-tion. Also ensure the final /ən/ is reduced to /ən/ rather than a crisp /ən/ with extra force.
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- US: emphasize rhotic vowel length and keep /juː/ close to /juː/ and the /leɪ/ diphthong bright. - UK: slightly shorter /juː/ and crisper /t/; /leɪ/ may be a bit more clipped in fast speech. - AU: similar to US but with vowel shifts; keep non-rhoticity so /ˈmjuː.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən/; ensure /r/ is absent in final position. Across accents, maintain four syllables and stress pattern. IPA references: /ˌmjuː.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən/ (US/UK/AU).
Mutilation comes from the French mutilation, from mutiler “to maim, wound,” with roots in Latin mutilare, from mŏlĭ- ‘deformed, maimed’. The Latin root mulus/mŏlŭ- relates to cuts or wounds, while the suffix -ation marks a noun of action. The modern English form appeared in the late 15th to 16th centuries, initially in legal and medical contexts referring to the act of maiming. Over time, the meaning broadened to cover any severe damage or alteration, including figurative uses such as data mutilation or cultural mutilation. The word carries strong connotations of harm and irreversible change, and is often used in ethical, medical, or forensic discussions. The evolution reflects shifts from literal physical injury toward broader implications of destructive alteration. First known usages can be traced in early English translations of French legal texts, with more precise medical usage emerging in 17th–18th century surgical literature.
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Words that rhyme with "Mutilation"
-ion sounds
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