5 syllables: Pro, se, ly, ti, sing. Stress on Pro.
PROH-suh-leye-tiz-ing
/ˈproʊ.sə.laɪ.tɪ.zɪŋ/
Proselytising is pronounced PROH-suh-leye-tiz-ing (/ˈproʊ.sə.laɪ.tɪ.zɪŋ/). It has five syllables (Pro-se-ly-ti-sing), with the stress on "Pro". Proselytising is the act of attempting to convert someone to a particular belief or faith, often through persuasive communication. As an adjective, it describes behavior or messaging that aims to persuade others to adopt a creed or viewpoint. The term carries connotations of zeal and persistence, and is commonly used in both religious and secular contexts to describe evangelistic or persuasive outreach.
adjectiveProselytising is the act of attempting to convert someone to a particular belief or faith, often through persuasive communication. As an adjective, it describes behavior or messaging that aims to persuade others to adopt a creed or viewpoint. The term carries connotations of zeal and persistence, and is commonly used in both religious and secular contexts to describe evangelistic or persuasive outreach.
- Think you can skip the schwa after /s/: in reality, you need /sə/ before /laɪ/. Ensure the unstressed syllables are reduced: /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/ rather than /ˌprɒsˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/. - Misplacing stress on the second syllable: stress is on the third syllable: /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/; practice marking the syllables and saying them slowly to feel the rhythm. - Fusing /zɪŋ/ to /zɪŋ/ without a clear /z/ release; maintain a voiced /z/ before the final /ɪŋ/. - Forgetting the /laɪ/ diphthong; keep the /aɪ/ glide distinct from the preceding schwa. - Final silent letters do not apply; pronounce all phonemes; avoid dropping /z/ or /ɪŋ/ in casual speech.
How to Pronounce Proselytising
"Her campaign included proselytising efforts aimed at diverse communities."
"The organisation faced criticism for its aggressive proselytising tactics."
"He spoke with a proselytising tone, insisting that his views were the only path to truth."
Pronounce as /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/ (UK/US/AU share the same core). Stress falls on the syllable before -tiz-, with a clear 'ly' as /laɪ/. Start with /ˈprɒs/ (short o as in 'pot'), ɪ as in 'kit', then /ˈlaɪ/ as a long I, and end with /zɪŋ/ (soft z + ng). The second syllable is reduced: 'pro-suh-LY-tiz-ing'. For audio reference, listen to native speakers saying 'proselytize/proselytising' in a sentence.
Common errors: pronouncing 'proselytising' as pro-SIS-uh-tysing by misplacing stress, or simplifying 'tiz' to 'tiz' without the /laɪ/ diphthong. Correct approach: ensure /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/ with the long I as /laɪ/ and a voiced /z/ before the final /ɪŋ/. Another mistake is pronouncing the first vowel as /i/ in 'pros' instead of /ɒ/. Keep the sequence clear: /ˌprɒ-sə-ˈlaɪ-tɪ-zɪŋ/.
In US, UK, and AU, the core is /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/. US often has rhoticity influence in /ɹ/ and less vowel reduction; UK keeps non-rhotic accent with /ɒ/ and /ə/ as schwa; AU follows similar to UK with slightly flatter vowels and a bit stronger /ɪ/ in the final syllable. The /laɪ/ diphthong remains /laɪ/ overall. The main difference is vowel quality and r-lessness in non-rhotic varieties; listen for subtle /ɒ/ vs /ɒː/.
Key challenge: two adjacent vowels and a multi-syllabic stress pattern. The /ə/ schwa after /s/ and the /laɪ/ diphthong create a quick transition to /tɪz/. The sequence /ləɪtɪ/ requires maintaining the long I without swallowing. Also the final nasal + /z/ + /ɪŋ/ can blur in fast speech. Practice slowing to isolate each segment: /ˌprɒsə-ˈlaɪ-tɪ-zɪŋ/ and then blend.
Why does the 'ly' in 'proselytising' sound like 'lie' (/laɪ/)? Because the 'ly' is a digraph producing the /laɪ/ diphthong, where the tongue moves from /l/ toward a high front vowel /aɪ/. This /laɪ/ is a hallmark of many English spellings where 'ly' interacts with preceding consonants to form a distinct diphthong; ensure your /l/ is light and the /aɪ/ transitions smoothly into /tɪzɪŋ/.
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- US: rhotic /ɹ/ is pronounced; keep the /ɒ/ as a short O sound; the -ing ending uses /ɪŋ/. - UK: non-rhotic in many varieties; /ɒ/ may be longer; lighter /ɪ/ in final syllable; maintain non-rhotic R. - AU: similar to UK, with slightly more clipped vowels and less pronounced rhoticity in some speakers; ensure the /ɒ/ and /ə/ transitions are clear. - Tips: produce a clear /ˌprɒsə/ first, then the /ˈlaɪ/ diphthong, then /tɪzɪŋ/. Practice with a mirror to align lip opening and jaw drop on /laɪ/; ensure the tongue is relaxed before /tɪzɪŋ/. - Use IPA references: US /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/; UK /ˌprɒsəˈlaɪtɪzɪŋ/; AU /ˌprɒsəlˈaɪtɪzɪŋ/ (note minor vowel shift).
Proselytising originates from the late 17th century, derived from the Greek prosēlytēs (from prosēlyein) meaning 'to make a proselyte' or 'to convert.' The Greek root prosēlykōs combines pros (toward) with sēlyein (to lead, to urge). The English form toward 'proselytize' appeared in the 19th century, with the -ing participle evolving to describe the ongoing act. Initially associated with religious conversion, the term broadened in modern usage to cover any vigorous attempt to win others to a belief, ideology, or cause. The spelling variants -izing and -ising reflect British and American conventions respectively; in British English, -ising is standard, while American English commonly uses -izing. First known printed uses surface in religious polemics and missionary texts, then expanding to secular contexts as political or social movements adopted aggressive outreach language.
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Words that rhyme with "Proselytising"
-ing sounds
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