3 syllables: o, ra, tion. Stress on ra.
aw-RAY-shuhn
/ɔˈɹeɪʃən/
oration is pronounced aw-RAY-shuhn (/ɔˈɹeɪʃən/). It has three syllables (o-ra-tion), with the stress on "ra". An oration is a formal public speech, delivered with cultivated diction and rhetorical emphasis. It typically aims to persuade or inspire an audience, delivered in a measured, ceremonial register. The term emphasizes composition, delivery, and the orator’s command of timing and cadence, often within political or ceremonial settings.
An oration is a formal public speech, delivered with cultivated diction and rhetorical emphasis. It typically aims to persuade or inspire an audience, delivered in a measured, ceremonial register. The term emphasizes composition, delivery, and the orator’s command of timing and cadence, often within political or ceremonial settings.
"The senator delivered a stirring oration on civic duty."
"Her oration at the conference was memorable for its rhetorical structure and clarity."
"The aging professor cherished memories of his student’s graduation oration."
Standard pronunciation is /ˌɔːˈreɪ.ʃən/ in UK and /ˌɔrˈeɪʃən/ in US; with primary stress on the second syllable. Decompose as or-AY-shən, with the /ɔ/ vowel starting mid-back, the /ɹ/ rhotic, the /eɪ/ diphthong, and the final /ən/ reducing to a schwa + n in fluent speech. For clear delivery, emphasize the /ˈreɪ/ syllable and keep the final consonant crisp: or-a-TION. Audio references: consult Cambridge or Oxford pronunciation entries or Forvo entries under “oration.”
Common errors include treating the second syllable as a simple /o/ or /oʊ/ rather than the /ˈreɪ/ diphthong, and misplacing the stress by stressing the first syllable (OR-ation). Another frequent issue is a lenient final /n/ or vocalizing the /t/ into a /ʃ/ or /tʃ/. To correct: place primary stress on the second syllable, articulate /reɪ/ clearly, and finish with a crisp /ən/ or /n/ after a light schwa. Practice with minimal pairs like or-REY-shən vs OR-AY-shun to feel the contrast.
In US English, oration often has /ˌɔrˈeɪʃən/ with rhotic /r/ and a clear /eɪ/. UK English tends to have a longer /ɔː/ before /ˈreɪ/ and a less rhotic /r/ in non-rhotic varieties, with a drier final syllable. Australian pronunciation typically aligns with non-rhotic tendencies but maintains a rounded /ɔː/ for the first vowel and a distinct /eɪ/ in the second syllable, yielding /ˌɔˈreɪʃən/ or /ˌɔːˈreɪʃən/ depending on speaker. The main differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality, not syllable count.
The challenge centers on the diphthong /eɪ/ in the second syllable, the sequence /reɪ/ requiring precise articulation to avoid a schwa misplacement. Keeping the /r/ clear in rhotic variants and not letting it soften too much before the /eɪ/?; also, the final /ən/ can reduce to a nasalized schwa that blurs with the preceding vowel if you rush. Articulating a clean r-colored vowel in US English and maintaining a crisp /ʃən/ ending in UK/AU variants adds to the complexity. IPA awareness helps you map tongue height and lip rounding.
No. The 't' is not silent in standard pronunciations of oration. The sequence ends with the /t/? no, the word ends with -ation, where the t is part of the /ʃ/ or /tʃ/?; In careful pronunciation, the ending is /ən/ after /ʃ/ sometimes as in /ˌɔːˈreɪ.ʃən/. The 't' is not pronounced as a separate consonant in many dialects; rather, the /t/ sound is not a standalone syllable consonant but contributes to the /ʃ/ cluster in some rapid speech. In careful, you should articulate /ʃən/ clearly without an additional /t/ sound.
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Oration derives from the Latin oratio, meaning a spoken speech, derived from orare, to speak or plead. The Latin oratio was used in rhetoric to denote a formal speech, especially one given in public or in a court. Through Old French as oraison, the term entered Middle English with the sense of an elaborate speech or formal declaration. By the 16th century, oration had solidified in English as a formal public speech, distinct from informal talk. In classical rhetoric, orations were crafted with a structured arrangement: introduction (exordium), statement of facts (narratio), confirmation (confirmatio), refutation (refutatio), and conclusion (peroratio). The word has retained its ceremonial and ceremonial-political connotations, often associated with public addresses, ceremonial speeches, orations, and scholarly lectures. Over time, the term broadened to include any extended formal discourse, though it remains most at home in rhetorical, political, or ceremonial contexts. The modern sense emphasizes delivery as much as content, aligning with the idea of a crafted, public speaking performance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "oration" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "oration"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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