Parliament is a formal legislative body composed of representatives who debate and pass laws. It typically includes an upper house and a lower house, or a single chamber in some countries, and operates under a defined constitutional framework. The term also refers to the building or group of officials where such deliberations occur.
"The Parliament debated the bill for hours before voting."
"She spoke to Parliament about the reform initiative."
"Parliament passed the new climate legislation last week."
"Critics gathered outside Parliament to protest the decision."
Parliament comes from the Old French parlement, which itself derives from late Latin parlamentum, meaning ‘a discussion, talk, or council.’ The root is par- ‘through’ or ‘by’ combined with -liament from the Latin -lamen, related to ‘to speak’ via debatable assembly. The English form Parliament appeared by the 13th century, influenced by Anglo-Norman and Middle English usage. Historically, the word designated a formal assembly for discussion of public matters; over time it broadened to refer to the body of lawmakers as well as the institution housing them. The concept has parallels in many languages, often reflecting a council where laws are considered and decreed. In modern English, Parliament specifically denotes the sovereign nation’s legislative body, with its structure and powers codified in the constitution or constitutional framework of a given country.
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Words that rhyme with "Parliament"
-ent sounds
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Parliament is pronounced as /ˈpɑːr.lɪ.mənt/ in US and /ˈpɑː.lə.mɛnt/ in UK; Australian typically /ˈpɑː.lɪ.mənt/ with a reduced second syllable. Stress falls on the first syllable, then a light secondary emphasis on the third syllable in many analyses. Start with a broad open “pa” as in palm, then a quick “r” if you’re using rhotic accents, followed by a light “li” or “lə” and ending with “ment.” Listen to native speech for subtle vowel shifts in rapid talk.
Common errors include misplacing stress (shifting to a second syllable), omitting the middle syllable vowel, or turning the /l/ into a dark, heavy sound across all syllables. To correct: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈpɑːr/; reduce the middle vowel to a short, quick /ə/ or /ɪ/ in /-lɪ-/; ensure the final /mənt/ is pronounced with a light /m/ and a clear /ə/ before /nt/. Practice with minimal pairs to stabilize the sequence.
US tends to produce /ˈpɑːr.lɪ.mənt/ with rhotic /r/ and a strong /ɪ/ in the second syllable; UK tends to /ˈpɑː.lɪ.mənt/ with a less pronounced /r/ (non-rhotic) and a slightly different vowel length in the first syllable. Australian often leans toward /ˈpɑːləmənt/ or /ˈpɑː.lɪ.mənt/ with a flattened /ə/ in the middle. Across accents, the main differences are rhoticity, vowel quality in the first vowel and the second syllable reduction.
The difficulty comes from unstressed syllables and vowel reduction in the middle: /ˈpɑːr/ plus a reduced /lɪ/ or /lə/ followed by /mənt/. The combination of a strong initial stress with a weak middle vowel and a consonant cluster at the end is tricky in rapid speech. Also, slight variation in the /r/ and /l/ transitions across accents can confuse learners. Focus on the clean mid syllable and a crisp final /nt/.
Parliament has a distinct three-syllable rhythm with stress on the first syllable: /ˈpɑːr.lɪ.mənt/. The unique aspect is the light, almost schwa-like middle vowel that merges the second and third consonant sounds into a smooth sequence (l-ə-m). Track the vertical boundary between /r/ and the following syllable to avoid merging into a single long vowel. IPA references help solidify the exact mouth shape and timing.
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