6 syllables: Per, son, i, fi, ca, tions. Stress on ca.
pur-suh-nif-ik-AY-shuhnz
/pɝsənɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz/
Personifications is pronounced pur-suh-nif-ik-AY-shuhnz (/pɝsənɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz/). It has six syllables (Per-son-i-fi-ca-tions), with the stress on "ca". Personifications is a plural noun referring to the attribution of human qualities to non-human things, or to the representation of ideas, objects, or animals as if they were people. It often denotes literary or rhetorical devices where abstractions are given human traits. The term typically appears in academic or critical discussion about literature, symbolism, and imagery.
nounPersonifications is a plural noun referring to the attribution of human qualities to non-human things, or to the representation of ideas, objects, or animals as if they were people. It often denotes literary or rhetorical devices where abstractions are given human traits. The term typically appears in academic or critical discussion about literature, symbolism, and imagery.
"The novel is full of personifications, with the wind speaking and the moon sighing over the hills."
"In her analysis, the author uses personifications to breathe life into abstract concepts like justice and time."
"The poet employs subtle personifications to make the garden seem alive and watchful."
Break it as per·son·i·fi·ca·tions with the primary stress on the fourth syllable: /ˌpɜːr.sən.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃənz/ (US) and /ˌpɜː.sən.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃənz/ (UK). Start with 'per' as in 'pause' + 'son' + 'i' (short i) + 'fi' (fee) + 'ca' (kay) + 'tions' (shənz). Ensure the 'tion' becomes 'ʃən', and the final 's' is voiced as z before vowels.
Common errors: flattening the 'er' to a quick 'ur' and misplacing stress on the wrong syllable (often stressing 'fi' or 'ca' incorrectly). Another pitfall is pronouncing 'tion' as 'shun' with a longer schwa; correct is the unstressed 'ʃən' sound. To fix: practice the sequence per·son·i·fi·ca·tions with a clear break between each morpheme, and emphasize the 'keɪ' before 'ʃənz' to ensure correct syllabic rhythm.
US tends to an /ɜːr/ in the first syllable with rhotic r; UK often reduces to /ˈpɜː.sən.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃənz/ with non-rhotic r; Australian keeps a similar /ˌpɜː.sən.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃənz/ but with a smoother vowel in the first syllable and less conspicuous rhotics. The 'tions' ends as /ʃənz/ in all three, but vowel quality in the nucleus can show slight American-like 'ɜːr' vs. British 'ɜː'.
It combines a string of unstressed syllables with a non-obvious burst in 'fi' and a tricky 'ca' leading into 'tions'. The sequence requires precise articulation of /ˌpɜːrˌsənɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz/ and maintaining the long 'eɪ' in 'keɪ' while keeping the 'ʃən' cluster smooth and fast. The main challenge is balancing the secondary stresses and the ending z sound after avoiced consonants.
No silent letters in this word. Every letter contributes to the syllable count and phonetic pattern. The cluster '-fi-' keeps a distinct short i sound, and '-tions' yields the /ʃənz/ segment. Focus on not letting 't' blend into 'i' and keep 'keɪ' as a clear, stressed nucleus before the final 'ʃənz'.
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US/UK/AU differences: • US: rhotic /r/ in 'per' and a clear /ɜːr/ or /ɜːr/ in the first syllable; final /z/ becomes a voiced /z/; celebrate the /keɪ/ diphthong. • UK: non-rhotic /r/; slightly crisper 'tions' and broader 'ɜː' vowel in first syllable; final /z/ remains /z/. • AU: similar to US with less rhoticity pressure, favoring a flatter /ɜː/ with less prominent rhotics; maintain the /ʃənz/ ending. Overall, the main vowel and rhoticity differences are in the first syllable and the 'r' quality, plus the speed of the final 'tions'. IPA references included.
Personification originates from the late Latin personificatio, from persona meaning 'person' plus facere meaning 'to make' or 'to do'. The term entered English through literary and philosophical usage in the early modern period as scholars sought to describe the attribution of human attributes to non-human entities. It is closely related to anthropomorphism, but while anthropomorphism often implies literal human form or behaviour in non-human entities, personification emphasizes the attribution of human traits such as emotions, motives, or actions to abstractions or inanimate things without necessarily changing their form. The concept has roots in classical rhetoric and allegory, where abstractions like Fortune, Hope, or Death were described with human intentions and affect. Over time, the word broadened from theological and philosophical contexts into literary analysis and everyday language, particularly within poetry, prose, and critical theory. The earliest known uses in English fiction and criticism date from the 16th to 18th centuries, reflecting the long-standing tradition of using personified beings to reveal moral and conceptual truths. In contemporary usage, personification remains a staple device in fiction, film, and media criticism, often with a metonymic or symbolic emphasis rather than literal representation.
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