Racine

In English, the name is typically pronounced as ra-SEEN, with the primary stress on the second syllable and a long 'ee' vowel: /rəˈsiːn/. In careful speech, you may hear a subtle French flavor: /ʁa.sin/ in French contexts, but English usage leans toward /rəˈsiːn/. Mouth positions: start with a light schwa or /rə/, then tense /siːn/. Audio references: imagine saying ‘reh-SEE-n’ with a crisp final n; for native-leaning accuracy, you can mimic Jean Racine’s name as used in French, but keep it Anglicized here: ra-SEEN.

Common mistakes include pronouncing the second syllable as a short ’in’ (/ră-SIN/) or flattening the vowel to /ɪ/ rather than a long /iː/. Another error is stressing the first syllable (RA-sine) or not matching the long vowel in the second syllable. Correct by aiming for a clear /siːn/ with final n, keeping the second syllable longer and stressed: /rəˈsiːn/. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘see’ vs ‘sea’ to maintain the long /iː/ quality and avoid reducing the vowel.

In US and general American English, you’ll hear /rəˈsiːn/, with a prominent rhotic r and a clear long /iː/ in the second syllable. In UK English, you typically still get /rəˈsiːn/ but with a lighter r and more centralized vowel quality in the first syllable; the second syllable retains a long i. In Australian English, the pronunciation remains /rəˈsiːn/ but may feature a slightly more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a more but not strongly rolled r. Overall, the second syllable vowel remains long across accents; the main variation is the r-coloring and vowel quality in the first syllable.

The difficulty comes from the French-origin pronunciation that many English speakers anglicize or flatten. The second syllable contains a long /iː/ and a nasal-like final ‘n’ without a clearly pronounced final consonant in some dialects. Subtleties include the pronunciation of the initial /r/ in rhotic vs non-rhotic accents and the length contrast between syllables. To master it, focus on a clean /rəˈsiːn/ with the second syllable stressed and a distinct long i; avoid reducing vowels and keep the /n/ crisp.

Racine’s English form centers on a two-syllable pattern with stress on the second syllable; the unique aspect is maintaining a long /iː/ in the second syllable while keeping the first syllable reduced to a schwa or a light /ə/. This balance avoids an over-articulated first syllable and preserves the French-derived cadence. IPA reference: /rəˈsiːn/. Mouth position: begin with a relaxed /ə/ or /ɹə/, then raise the tongue to a high front position for /siː/ before nasal /n/ closure.