/kwoʊˈteɪʃənz/
Say it backQuotations are written or spoken passages that reproduce someone else’s exact words, typically enclosed in quotation marks. They are used to cite others, attribute statements, or indicate speech. In discourse, quotations can function as evidence, emphasis, or stylistic devices, and may involve quotation marks, intro phrases, and contextual framing to indicate source and credibility.
- Misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable instead of the second; ensure the main emphasis is on /teɪ/. - Deleting or softening the /kw/ onset to /k/ or /w/; keep a tight /kw/ cluster with rounded lips. - Running the /t/ into /ʃ/ making /tʃə/; articulate /t/ clearly before /ʃənz/ so you hear /t/ then /ʃ/.
"She quoted Shakespeare in her essay to support her argument."
"The article includes quotations from several experts on climate policy."
"During the meeting, he kept quoting statistics from the latest report."
Break it as /ˌkwoʊˈteɪʃənz/. Stress falls on the second syllable root -TEI- as in 'tate' within ‘quotation’, with the final -z voiced. Start with /ˈkwoʊ/ (kwoh) then /ˌteɪ/ (tay) and /ʃənz/ (shuhnz). The initial cluster is /kw/, so keep lips rounded and teeth close. IPA helps: US /ˌkwoʊˈteɪʃənz/, UK /ˌkwəʊˈteɪʃənz/, AU /ˌkwɒˈteɪʃənz/; ensure the unstressed first syllable is reduced in some accents.
Many mispronounce by softening the /kw/ into /k/ or by misplacing the primary stress. Another frequent error is blending /eɪ/ with /ɪ/ in the second syllable, yielding /ˌkwəˈtɪʃənz/ or /ˌkoʊˈteɪʃənz/. Correct approach: keep the /kw/ cluster, place primary stress on the second syllable’s /eɪ/; fully articulate the /t/ before /ʃənz/, and end with a clear /z/. Practice with slow, then natural rate to lock in the pattern.
In US English, the initial syllable has a strong /woʊ/ rise and the /ɹ/ rhoticity is silent; in many UK variants, /kwəʊ/ is closer to /kwəʊ/ with a non-rhotic system; Australian pronunciation features a slightly broader vowel in /ɒ/ or /ɒː/ depending on region, and less pronounced diphthongization of /əʊ/. The main contrast is rhotics and vowel quality: US rhotic, UK non-rhotic, AU intermediate with rhotic tendencies present in some speakers.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a secondary stress pattern and the two-part vowel sequence /oʊ/ and /eɪ/ within a syllable, plus the final /z/ voiced consonant after a sibilant /n/. Tying /t/ and /ʃ/ sequences creates a tricky blend: /ˌkwoʊˈteɪʃənz/ requires precise lip rounding, tongue height, and airflow control to avoid a lispy /ti/ or /tɪ/ mispronunciation. Focus on the /kw/ onset, /eɪ/ nucleus, and the /ʃənz/ coda.
Think of it as ‘kwoh-TAY-shuns’ with the suffix /-ənz/. The key is maintaining a rounded labial start for /kw/ while quickly gliding into a clear /eɪ/ followed by a crisp /ʃ/ before the schwa /ə/ and final /nz/. Practice by isolating each segment, then combine slowly, then speed up, ensuring the final /z/ is not devoiced. IPA anchors: /ˌkwoʊˈteɪʃənz/.
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- US: rhotic realization, the /r/ is not the case here, but with connected speech you may hear a subtle rhotic influence in surrounding words; keep the vowel /oʊ/ rounded and stable. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; the vowel /əʊ/ may be a touch more centralized, but the /kw/ onset remains the same; avoid adding an extra /r/ sound. - AU: rounded /ɒ/ in some speakers, and lessening of diphthong in /oʊ/ towards /ɒ/; work on keeping /kw/ rounded, not a plain /k/; maintain clear /t/ before /ʃ/.
Quotations derives from the noun quotation, which comes from Latin quotāre meaning 'to mark with quotes, to quote' from quotus meaning 'that which is said or mentioned' and the verb quote. The English form quotation appeared in the 16th century, originally referring to the act of citing or mentioning a source. The plural quotations emerged to denote multiple cited passages. The word evolved to include both the act of citing exact words and the verb form ‘to quotation’ in older texts, with modern usage focusing on the noun for the cited material and structure (quotations, short and block quotations) in writing and publication. Over time, the capitalization and formatting conventions (quotation marks, punctuation inside or outside quotes) further refined its typographic usage in style guides. First known uses appear in early modern English legal and scholarly texts where authorities and sources required precise replication of words, later central to literary and journalistic practice. In contemporary usage, quotations are integral to academic integrity and discourse, signaling attribution and credibility across genres.
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Words that rhyme with "quotations"
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