5 syllables: non, lo, ca, li, ty. Stress on ca.
non-loh-KAL-it-ee
/ˌnɒnloʊˈkælɪti/
nonlocality is pronounced non-loh-KAL-it-ee (/ˌnɒnloʊˈkælɪti/). It has five syllables (non-lo-ca-li-ty), with the stress on "ca". Nonlocality refers to the property of a system wherein events or effects at one location can be influenced by, or correlate with, events at distant locations, without a direct causal chain through intermediate points. In physics and mathematics, it often describes phenomena where local actions have non-instantaneous or non-local correlations, challenging classical ideas of locality and signaling. The term is commonly used in quantum mechanics and in discussions of information transfer and entanglement.
Nonlocality refers to the property of a system wherein events or effects at one location can be influenced by, or correlate with, events at distant locations, without a direct causal chain through intermediate points. In physics and mathematics, it often describes phenomena where local actions have non-instantaneous or non-local correlations, challenging classical ideas of locality and signaling. The term is commonly used in quantum mechanics and in discussions of information transfer and entanglement.
"Researchers study how quantum nonlocality manifests in entangled particle systems."
"The model explores nonlocality in spatially separated neural networks."
"Philosophers debate whether nonlocality implies connections beyond spacetime."
Pronounce as /nɒnˌləʊˈkælɪti/ in UK and US guidance. The primary stress falls on the third syllable: non-lo-CA-li-ty with the main stress on CA. The first syllable is a short, unstressed 'non' with /nɒn/ or /nɑn/, the middle syllable /ləʊ/ uses a long vowel like ‘low’, and the final two syllables are /kælɪti/ where /æ/ is the short ‘a’ as in ‘cat’ and final /i/ is a light ‘ee’. Audio references: consult Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations, Forvo entries for nonlocality, or Pronounce for synthetic audio guidance.
Common errors include misplacing stress (notably stressing the middle or ending syllable), reducing the schwa in the second syllable, and merging /l/ with /n/ in rapid speech causing /nɒnloʊˈkælɪti/ to sounded as /nɔnloʊkæliti/. Correct those by practicing the strong secondary stress on the /ləʊ/ and keeping /l/ clear before /k/. Practice: emphasize the 3rd syllable with a slight pause before it to anchor the stress, and ensure the final -ity is pronounced as /ɪti/ rather than /iːti/.
In US, UK, and AU accents the word maintains /nɒn/ or /nɑn/ for initial syllable, with /ləʊ/ (US often closer to /loʊ/), and /ˈkælɪti/ with /æ/ as short ‘a’. Rhotic accents (US, AU) keep /r/ silent here, so no /r/ after л. UK tends to the non-rhotic approach in many dialects, but nonlocality ends with /ti/ as /ti/ in most dialects. AU variants align closely with UK but can be slightly flatter vowels. The main differences come in the nucleus of the second syllable and the final -ity vowel; solidify through listening to Cambridge/Oxford audio sources.
Difficulties come from the three-syllable structure with a secondary stress and a final cluster /lɪti/ where the /l/ transitions to a dental-alveolar /t/ quickly. The middle /ləʊ/ is a long diphthong that can be mispronounced as a short /lo/. Also, the prefix non- can create confusion with the root 'locality', and the contrast of /nl/ sequences can trip learners up. Practice by isolating each syllable, then linking them with steady tempo to maintain the correct stress pattern /nɒnˌləʊˈkælɪti/.
A distinctive feature is the secondary stress pattern: the primary stress falls on the third syllable '-ca-' within the word, while the second syllable '/ləʊ/' carries a lighter emphasis. This requires precise timing and a clear /l/ before the /ɑ/ sound. The combination of a long diphthong in the second syllable and a short /æ/ in the fourth syllable makes it sound with a precise rhythm that separates it from similar terms like ‘locality’ or ‘nonlocal’.
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US: rhotic but you don’t pronounce r here; UK: often non-rhotic; AU: similar to UK with slightly flatter vowels. Key vowel differences: /loʊ/ US, /ləʊ/ UK, AU similar to UK. Final -ity is /ɪti/ across all. Pay attention to the mid-front /æ/ in /kælɪti/. Ensure your tongue sits high behind the top teeth for /n/ and /l/ with separation. IPA references anchor your attempts across accents.
The word nonlocality is formed from the prefix non- meaning “not,” the base locality from late Latin localitatem (nom. localitas) meaning “place, locality,” and -ity forming a noun indicating a state or condition. The root locality traces to Latin locus (plural loci) meaning “place,” via Old French localisation, then English locality in the 17th century. Non- prefixes combined with locality appear in scientific discourse in the 20th century as theories of physics and information introduced ideas of “nonlocal” interactions that do not require immediate spatial adjacency. Early mathematical treatments of nonlocal operators and integral transforms contributed to the term’s modern meaning in quantum physics, where nonlocal correlations between entangled particles defy simple signal-based explanations. The exact first use is hard to pin down, but records show nonlocality appearing in scholarly articles in the mid-20th century, gaining prominence with Bell’s theorem debates and quantum information theory advances. Over time, the term has broadened to refer to any situation where linkage occurs without direct, local interaction, including certain aspects of dynamical systems, networks, and even social phenomena conceptualized in interdisciplinary work.
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Words that rhyme with "nonlocality"
-ity sounds
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