4 syllables: Pal, pi, ta, tion. Stress on ta.
pal-puh-TAY-shuhn
/ˌpælpəˈteɪʃən/
Palpitation is pronounced pal-puh-TAY-shuhn (/ˌpælpəˈteɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Pal-pi-ta-tion), with the stress on "ta". Palpitation is a noun meaning a noticeable and sometimes rapid or irregular heartbeat. It describes the sensation of the heart beating hard, fast, or fluttering, often felt in the chest, throat, or neck. The term is commonly used in medical contexts but can appear in everyday discussions about heart health or anxiety.
nounPalpitation is a noun meaning a noticeable and sometimes rapid or irregular heartbeat. It describes the sensation of the heart beating hard, fast, or fluttering, often felt in the chest, throat, or neck. The term is commonly used in medical contexts but can appear in everyday discussions about heart health or anxiety.
- Common phonetic challenges: 1) Stress placement on the third syllable; 2) Clear articulation of /t/ before /ɪ/ and /eɪ/; 3) Final consonant cluster /tʃən/ simplified to /ʃən/ or /tɪən/. Corrections: 1) Practice with a three-beat pulse to ensure the third syllable has the strong beat. 2) Produce /t/ with a crisp stop before the long /eɪ/; keep the /t/ audible before /ən/. 3) Articulate /t/ in the last cluster and avoid eliding the /t/; practice minimal pairs like table-tability to reinforce the sequence. Use slow, then medium, then natural speed while recording to compare.
"She felt a sudden palpitation after climbing the stairs."
"The doctor asked about episodes of palpitations and any associated dizziness."
"Stress and caffeine can contribute to palpitations in some people."
Break it as pal-PI-ta-tion. Primary stress on the third syllable: /pæl-pɪ-ˈteɪ-ʃən/. The first syllable is a light /pæl/ with a clear /l/; the middle /pɪ/ is quick, the stressed /ˈteɪ/ has a long A sound, and the final /ʃən/ is a light schwa + n. Audio links can be found via Pronounce or Forvo to hear natural speaker renditions. Practice saying it slowly, then speed up while maintaining the /ˈteɪ/ beat.
Two frequent errors are: misplacing the stress (putting it on the first or second syllable) and merging /teɪ/ with /tə/ as in pal-pi-TA-sion. Correct it by stressing the third syllable: pal-pi-TA-tion, clearly articulating /ˈteɪ/. Another error is pronouncing the final /ʃn/ cluster as /ʃən/ or dropping the /t/ before -ion. Keep the /t/ in the sequence and finish with /ən/.
In US and UK, pronunciation centers on /pæl-pɪ-ˈteɪ-ʃən/ with similar four-syllable rhythm; rhotics don’t alter the core vowels. Australian English keeps vowel qualities close to UK with slight vowel shortening; the /ɪ/ in the second syllable can be a bit more centralized, and the /ɪ/ in /pɪ/ may approach a schwa in rapid speech. All share the stress on the third syllable, but vowel quality can vary subtly by speaker and region.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllable structure and a long mid vowel in the stressed syllable. The sequence pal-pi-TA-tion requires precise articulation of /t/ before /i/ and the /ʃ/ before /ən/. Non-native speakers often drop the /t/ or merge /teɪ/ with /tə/. Focus on the clear release of /t/ before a stressed /eɪ/ and maintain separate syllables to preserve the 4-syllable rhythm.
The word contains a distinct /ˈteɪ/ diphthong in the stressed syllable, which can be challenging for learners who default to a pure /e/ sound. Maintaining the precise vowel shift from /eɪ/ to /ə/ for the final -tion while keeping the /t/ audible is crucial. Practice by isolating the /teɪ/ and then adding the following /ʃən/ quickly but clearly.
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- US: rhotic accents do not affect palpitation; keep /pæl-pɪ-ˈteɪ-ʃən/ with clear /ɹ/ absence in non-rhotic regions. UK: maintain clear /r/ non-rhotic; ensure vowel clarity in /eɪ/. AU: similar to UK; slightly more centralized /ɪ/; keep the /t/ release crisp. Vowel notes: /æ/ as in cat for US/UK, /aː/ variation in AU; /eɪ/ is a diphthong that should start mid-front and glide to high front. Focus on keeping an even rhythm across all syllables.
Palpitation traces to Middle English palpiten, from Latin palpitatio, from palpiti (to feel, touch) and -atio indicating an action or process. The Latin root pulse, palp- relates to touching or feeling. The form palpitare, meaning to flutter or beat rapidly, is from Latin palpitare. The medical sense of palpitation emerged in older medical writings to describe a conspicuous beating of the heart. In English, the word appeared by the 15th century in medical and lay texts, evolving from general sensation words to a precise clinical term indicating perceived cardiac activity. Over time, palpitation broadened in colloquial use to describe any strong, rapid, or irregular heart sensations, especially during anxiety, exertion, or caffeine exposure. Today, it remains a standard medical term while also appearing in patient education and wellness discourse. The word’s syllabic structure emphasizes the second syllable (pal-PI-ta-tion), with stress traditionally on the third syllable in many English varieties when used as a noun, though some speakers may place stress earlier in informal speech. Its pronunciation has remained relatively stable across English-speaking regions, with minor variations in vowel quality and schwa usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Palpitation"
-ion sounds
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