2 syllables: Scald, ing. Stress on Scald.
SKAWL-ding
/ˈskɔldɪŋ/
Scalding is pronounced SKAWL-ding (/ˈskɔldɪŋ/). It has two syllables (Scald-ing), with the stress on "Scald". Scalding is the adjective or noun describing liquids that are extremely hot, capable of causing burns. In everyday use it often refers to steam or temperature near boiling, typically around 60–80°C, though exact definitions vary by context. It can also describe a hot, burning sensation or a scene involving heat, steam, or boiling liquids.
nounScalding is the adjective or noun describing liquids that are extremely hot, capable of causing burns. In everyday use it often refers to steam or temperature near boiling, typically around 60–80°C, though exact definitions vary by context. It can also describe a hot, burning sensation or a scene involving heat, steam, or boiling liquids.
- Mispronouncing the /sk/ cluster: keep a clean, tight onset; do not insert an extra vowel between s and k. - Flattening the /ɔː/ to a shorter /ɔ/ or /a/; aim for a rounded, elongating back vowel before /l/. - Dropping the /d/ before -ing in rapid speech; maintain a discrete /d/ closure before the /ɪŋ/ ending. - Slurring the ending: ensure a clear /ɪŋ/ without merging into a nasal or dropping the /ŋ/.
How to Pronounce Scalding
"The barista warned that the latte was scalding hot and to let it cool for a moment."
"She spilled scalding tea on her hand and shouted in pain."
"The scalding water from the kettle loosened the stubborn stains."
You say SCAL-ding with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈskɔːldɪŋ/. Start with the /sk/ cluster, then the open-mid back vowel /ɔː/ as in 'law', followed by /l/ with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, and finish with /dɪŋ/. In rapid speech, the /ɔː/ can become a shorter /ɔ/ in some accents, but the stress stays on the first syllable. Listen for a crisp /sk/ onset and a clear /l/ before the /dɪŋ/ ending.
Common errors include: (1) Misplacing the /l/ and delaying the /l/ after /sk/: ensure /sk/ blends cleanly into /ɔː/. (2) Dropping the /d/ before the -ing: say /ldɪŋ/, not /ˈskɔːlɪŋ/ or /ˈskɔːdnɪŋ/. (3) Reducing the vowel too much in /ɔː/: keep it as a lengthened back rounded vowel before /l/. Correction: practice with minimal pairs like /skɔːld/ vs /skɔldɪŋ/ to feel the /d/ closure before /ɪŋ/.
In US English, /ˈskɔːldɪŋ/ retains a robust /ɔː/ and rhoticity is less relevant here. In many UK variants, /ɔː/ is pronounced as a longer, rounded vowel with clear /l/; non-rhotic tendencies do not affect this word much since /l/ and /d/ are explicit. Australian English often shows a rounded, broad vowel in /ɔː/ with slightly more vowel height variation, but the overall pattern remains /ˈskɔːldɪŋ/. The primary stress remains on the first syllable in all, with minimal vowel reduction in careful speech.
It presents two main challenges: the consonant cluster /sk/ requires precise release without a preceding vowel; and the /ld/ sequence can blur together in rapid speech, risking a simplification to /ld/ or /l/ or /dl/. Focus on maintaining the /sk/ onset, then the clear /ɔː/ vowel, followed by a hard /l/ and a quick /dɪŋ/ ending. Good practice with word-initial clusters and steady release of /d/ helps maintain accuracy across accents.
Pay attention to the /ld/ sequence right before the /ɪŋ/ suffix. Many learners insert an extra vowel or misplace the /d/ and /ɪ/ boundary in fast speech. Practice the transition: /skɔːl/ + /dɪŋ/ with a crisp /d/ closure before the final /ɪŋ/. Also ensure the first syllable carries the main stress, keeping the mouth rounded through /ɔː/ and avoiding an abrupt reduction before /l/.
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- US: emphasize rhotics and a slightly flatter /ɔ/; keep /ɔː/ broad but not overly open. - UK: preserve a more rounded, longer /ɔː/ with crisp /l/ articulation; avoid vowel reduction before r-controlled sounds. - AU: similar to UK, with slight vowel height variations; watch for vowel length and a more relaxed final -ing. IPA anchors: /ˈskɔːldɪŋ/ across accents, with minor vowel length differences.
Scalding traces to Middle English scalde, from Old Norse skál, related to burning and hot liquids, with the suffix -ing indicating the present participle or adjective form in modern English. The root word relates to heat and boiling liquids, evolving through Middle English to describe action and state of being scorched by hot liquids. The sense expanded from “to burn with hot liquid” to describe temperatures or sensations that produce a burning or dangerously hot effect. The term has long been connected to steam and boiling water and appears in legal and medical contexts to specify burn risk thresholds. Over time, scalding has entered common usage as both a descriptive term for liquids (scalding tea, scalding water) and as a metaphor for emotionally or figuratively intense situations involving heat or urgency. First known use as a present-participle concept appears in early modern English texts dealing with culinary and domestic heat, with broader figurative uses emerging in the 18th and 19th centuries. The word’s historical evolution reflects changing safety standards around hot liquids and an expanding lexicon for temperature descriptions in daily life and industry.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Scalding" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Scalding"
-ing sounds
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