One syllable: Role.
rohl
/ɹoʊl/
Role is pronounced rohl (/ɹoʊl/). It has one syllable (Role), with the stress on "Role". Role (noun): the function or position that someone or something has in a particular situation, or the character played by an actor. It also refers to the expected behavior or responsibilities within a group or project. In essence, it defines duty, involvement, and the part one assumes in a given context. The term often carries implications of authority, responsibility, or social placement.
nounRole (noun): the function or position that someone or something has in a particular situation, or the character played by an actor. It also refers to the expected behavior or responsibilities within a group or project. In essence, it defines duty, involvement, and the part one assumes in a given context. The term often carries implications of authority, responsibility, or social placement.
How to Pronounce Role
"Her role in the project was to coordinate schedules and manage communications."
"He played the lead role in the school play."
"In corporate teams, each member has a defined role and set of tasks."
Role is pronounced with a long 'o' sound: /roʊl/ in US, and /rəʊl/ in UK/AU. The initial sound is a tense, mid-back vowel, followed by an ‘l’ consonant. Stroke the vowel to a clear, glide-like end toward the /l/. Keep the mouth rounded but relaxed. Stress is on the word as a single syllable, and the final /l/ should be light but audible, not swallowed. Audio references: you can compare with ‘roll’ and notice that the only difference is vowel quality in some dialects; the consonants and syllable count are identical. Practicing with minimal pairs like role/roll can help solidify the vowel distinction.
Common mistakes include pronouncing it as /rɔl/ with an open-mid back rounded vowel in American contexts or as /roːl/ with a too-drawn-out vowel length. Another error is adding an extra syllable like /ˈroʊəl/, or truncating to /roʊl/ without rounding the lips for the initial vowel. To correct, focus on a clean monophtongal /oʊ/ or /oʊ/ depending on dialect, keep lips rounded but not protruding, and avoid inserting a schwa. Practice with a rapid mouth movement from /r/ to /oʊ/ to /l/ in a single, smooth breath. Listening to native speakers and mimicking the glide will normalize the vowel length and prevent over-articulation.
In US English, /roʊl/ emphasizes a tight /oʊ/ glide with a clear final /l/. In UK English, /rəʊl/ often features a slightly more centralized first consonant and a longer, more rounded diphthong /əʊ/ before /l/. Australian English generally aligns with UK in rhoticity matters and the /əʊ/ or /oʊ/ vowel, but with a more centralized starting consonant and a very crisp /l/. The key differences lie in the starting vowel quality and the degree of rhotic influence, with US being non-rhotic in some dialects of rapid speech, and UK/AU retaining more pronounced rhotics in certain contexts. Listen for tongue height and lip rounding differences and practice minimal pairs role/roll to detect subtle shifts.
The difficulty stems from the quick diphthong /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ combined with a final /l/, where the jaw closes slightly and the lips round for the vowel while the tongue anchors for the final light /l/. A common pitfall is inserting a schwa between the vowel and the /l/ or not finishing the /l/ clearly, especially in fast speech. Additionally, subtle dialect changes can alter the exact vowel height and lip rounding, making cross-dialect consistency tricky. Focusing on a single, clean glide from the starting position to the /l/ can reduce this challenge.
Role does not have a silent letter. All letters contribute to the pronunciation: the /r/ onset, the /oʊ/ diphthong, and the final /l/. Some speakers may experience a reduced or elided /r/ in rapid American speech before a consonant in connected speech, but in careful speech the /r/ is pronounced as a rhotic American /ɹ/ or a rhotic-like approximant depending on the dialect, and the /l/ remains vocalized. If you hear a nearly silent /r/ in some American dialects in quick speech, that’s an accent feature rather than a silent letter in the orthography.
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US: /roʊl/ with a stronger rhotic onset and a clear /l/. UK/AU: /rəʊl/ with a slightly more centralized /r/ and a longer /əʊ/; aim for a subtle rhoticity and precise lip rounding. IPA references: US /roʊl/; UK/AU /rəʊl/. • Vowel focus: US mouth is more open at start, lips rounded; UK/AU starts with a central vowel and a higher tongue posture. • Consonant tips: final /l/ should be light and clear; avoid vocalizing the /l/ as a vowel substitute. • Practice with minimal pairs: role vs roll; role vs roof will help differentiate the diphthong quality.”,
Role derives from the Old French word rolle or rolle, meaning a roll or roll of parchment, and possibly from Latin rotulus (a small roll). The sense of a “body of duties” or “part to play” emerged in English by the 16th century, influenced by theatre terminology where actors were assigned specific parts or roles. The metaphorical jump to a person’s function within an organization or social setting solidified in the 17th–18th centuries as bureaucratic and social structures grew. The spelling stabilized into “role” in Modern English, with the pronunciation clustering around /roʊl/ in General American and /rəʊl/ in British English, despite regional vowel variations. Today, “role” often collocates with verbs like take, assume, assign, and define, forming phrases such as “take on a role,” “role responsibility,” and “role model,” though “role” is not always synonymous with “part” or “position” in every context, where “part” might be used for dramatic or physical components. First known use in print appears in the 17th century theatre and legal records, reflecting the adoption of the term to denote a character or function within a system or script.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Role" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Role"
-ole sounds
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