A proper noun referring to the Serbian professional tennis player Novak Djokovic. The name is pronounced with stress on the second syllable of Djokovic and two distinct vowel qualities in Novak, reflecting Slavic phonology. In English contexts, this multi-name reference is treated with careful enunciation to preserve Serbian surname integrity while matching typical English phonotactics.
US: tends toward rhoticity in Novak; US Djokovic often has /d͡ʒoʊˈkviːt͡s/ with a bright 'o' in Novak and a clear final /t͡s/. UK: less rhotic; Novak /ˈnəʊvæk/ and Djokovic /d͡ʒəʊˈkviːt͡s/ with more centralized 'ə' in the second word and a slightly longer vowel in 'o' of Djokovic. AU: blend of /d͡ʒ/ with a more open /ɔ/ in Novak and a stronger final /t͡s/; may internalize vowels as /nɒvæk/ or /nəʊvæk/. Use IPA as anchor: Novak /ˈnoʊ.væk/ (US), /ˈnəʊ.væk/ (UK), /ˈnɒ.væk/ (AU); Djokovic /d͡ʒoʊˈkviːt͡s/ (US), /d͡ʒəʊˈkviːt͡s/ (UK), /d͡ʒəwˈkviːt͡s/ (AU). Key tips: keep /d͡ʒ/; don’t vocalize the final /t͡s/; maintain two-syllable Novak and a crisp second-syllable Djokovic.
"Novak Djokovic won the match in straight sets."
"Several commentators praised Novak Djokovic's defensive skills."
"I practiced saying Novak Djokovic's name before the interview."
"The crowd cheered as Novak Djokovic stepped onto court."
Djokovic is a Bosnian/Serbian surname derived from the patronymic Slavic naming pattern, often formed with the suffix -ić denoting 'son of'. Novak (or Nikola) is a common South Slavic given name from the Slavic root meaning 'new' or 'young'. The combination Novak Djokovic reflects a two-name tradition where a given name precedes a family name, with the surname rooted in the Serbian family line and historically associated with Serbian, Montenegrin, and Bosnian populations who migrated or competed across Europe. First documented uses align with late 19th to early 20th century Serbian records; the musician-artist and athlete circles popularized the exact modern form in international sports contexts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Pronunciation has adapted in English-speaking media, with emphasis typically placed on Djokovic’s surname’s second syllable and 'Novak' maintaining its two-syllable cadence, while retaining the original Slavic vowels as much as possible within English phonotactics.
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Words that rhyme with "Novak Djokovic"
-ich sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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- Pronounce Novak as NOH-vak with a long 'o' in the first syllable and a crisp 'vak' second syllable. Djokovic is pronounced dyo-KOV-itch in many English contexts; a closer Serbian pronunciation would be dyo-KOH-vich with 'ovich' as a single syllable ending. Stress typically lands on the second word's second syllable: d͡ʒoʊkˈvɪt͡s or d͡ʒəʊˈkviːt͡s depending on speaker. IPA references: US/UK: Novak /ˈnoʊ.væk/ Djokovic /d͡ʒəʊˈkviːt͡s/.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress in DjokVIts; place wrong emphasis on Djokovic. Correction: keep primary stress on the second syllable of Djokovic: /d͡ʒəˈkviːt͡s/ or /d͡ʒoʊˈkviːt͡s/. (2) Flattening ' Novak' with a single long vowel; correct it to two clear syllables NOH-vak. Correction: /ˈnoʊ.væk/. (3) Anglicizing the final consonant cluster; aim for the soft 'tch' sound at the end rather than a hard 'k'. Correction: end with /t͡s/.
US: /ˈnoʊ.væk d͡ʒoʊˈkviːt͡s/ with rhoticity and diphthongs; UK: /ˈnəʊ.væk d͡ʒəʊˈkviːt͡s/, often less rhotic in casual speech; AU: /ˈnɒ.væk d͡ʒəwˈkviːt͡s/ or /ˈnəʊ.væk d͡ʒəˈkoːvɪt͡s/ depending on speaker; main differences: vowel quality in Novak, and the first syllable of Djokovic varying from /d͡ʒo/ to /d͡ʒəʊ/ and the final /t͡s/ retained. Accent-specific liaison also affects the transition between Novak and Djokovic.
Phonetic challenges include preserving Slavic vowel integrity in Novak (two distinct syllables, diphthong in the first), and articulating the Serbian-derived surname Djokovic with the affricate /d͡ʒ/ at the start and the final /t͡s/ or /tʃ/ quality. The sequence /ˈnoʊ.væk d͡ʒoʊˈkviːt͡s/ can trip English speakers: balancing the rapid onset of 'J' with the 'k' and ending crisp. Focus on keeping the second syllable of Djokovic staccato and ending with a clear /t͡s/.
A unique feature is the two-part surname with a triad of sounds in Djokovic: the initial d͡ʒ blends into o or ə depending on the accent, followed by kviː and ending with t͡s, which some speakers mispronounce as 'tʃ' or 'tsch'. Emphasize Djokovic's /d͡ʒoʊˈkviːt͡s/ in US pronunciation or /d͡ʒəʊˈkviːt͡s/ in UK practice, keeping the final cluster clear and avoiding vowel darkening before the /t͡s/.
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