3 syllables: Pa, du, cah. Stress on du.
puh-DOO-kuh
/pəˈdukə/
Paducah is pronounced puh-DOO-kuh (/pəˈdukə/). It has three syllables (Pa-du-cah), with the stress on "du". Paducah is a proper noun referring to a city in western Kentucky, United States. It is pronounced as a two-syllable name, with emphasis on the first syllable, and is commonly used in American English contexts when discussing geography, culture, or local events.
nounPaducah is a proper noun referring to a city in western Kentucky, United States. It is pronounced as a two-syllable name, with emphasis on the first syllable, and is commonly used in American English contexts when discussing geography, culture, or local events.
How to Pronounce Paducah
"I plan to drive from Nashville to Paducah for the weekend."
"Paducah hosts a yearly arts festival that attracts visitors from nearby states."
"We interviewed a Paducah resident who shared stories about the flood of 193?"
/pəˈduː.kə/ in US English; IPA shows two syllables with primary stress on the second syllable, but many speakers naturally reduce to /pəˈduː.kə/ or /pəˈduː.kɑː/ in rapid speech. Focus on clear division between /ˈduː/ and /kə/. Mouth positions: start with a light schwa, then a stressed long
Common errors include placing the stress on the first syllable (pa-DU-cah instead of pa-du-CAH), mispronouncing the middle vowel as a short /ʌ/ instead of a long /uː/, and ending with an exaggerated /ɑː/ rather than a neutral /ə/. Correct by confirming the second syllable carries the primary stress and maintaining a long /uː/ sound in /ˈduː/; end with a light, unstressed /ə/.
In US accents, you’ll typically hear /pəˈduː.kə/ with stress on the second syllable; UK/other non-US speakers may render a shorter /ə/ or shift vowel qualities slightly, but the two-syllable pattern remains. Australian speakers often preserve the /ˈduː/ nucleus but may reduce the final syllable more. The rhotic r is not heavily emphasized in American Paducah speech, keeping the ending unreleased as /kə/ or /kə/ without an r-color. IPA anchors: US /pəˈduː.kə/, UK /pəˈduː.kə/ (similar), AU /pəˈduː.kə/ (slightly clipped final /ə/).
Difficulties come from the two-syllable pattern with non-obvious stress position relative to expectation (second syllable stress). Also, the long /uː/ in /duː/ and the unstressed final /ə/ can be tricky in rapid speech, as native speakers blend into /lə/ or /kə/. The consonant cluster /d/ plus /j/ influences the glide between syllables; keep lips rounded for /uː/ and avoid adding extra vowels. Clear modeling of the second syllable is key for accuracy.
A notable feature is the confluence-related root pronunciation carried into English, with a softened final syllable. You’ll often hear a quick, light release at the end of the second syllable, and many speakers avoid a heavy final vowel. The dynamic is two quick syllables: a stressed /ˈduː/ followed by a clipped /kə/. Speaker familiarity with the Kentucky region often guides natural pronunciation, making it important to hear a local model and mimic the cadence and intonation.
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Paducah derives from a Native American word from the Chickasaw or Quapaw languages that referred to the confluence or nearby river area. The name appeared in colonial-era maps and documents as European settlers explored the Ohio River basin. Over time, Paducah became the name of a city established at the confluence of the Ohio and Tradewater Rivers in western Kentucky. The term likely evolved from a local place-name used by early tribes, adapted by explorers and traders into European American nomenclature. The first widely cited usage in print appears in 19th-century maps and gazetteers, cementing Paducah as a distinct geographic and civic identity. As the city grew, the name retained its phonetic form and became the standard English pronunciation you hear today, with a stress on the first syllable and a subtle, non-tremling final vowel sound. The pronunciation, historically influenced by Scots-Irish and other Appalachian English speakers who settled in the region, settled into the modern form Paducah widely recognized in national media and maps by the 20th century.
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Words that rhyme with "Paducah"
-ack sounds
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