Self-effacing is describing someone who tends to underplay their abilities or achievements, often to appear modest. It conveys humility and a lack of arrogance, sometimes to the point of downplaying one’s own strengths. The term combines a reflexive pronoun with a verb, conveying action performed by the subject toward self-minimization.
- Misplacing primary stress on the first syllable: say /ˈsɛlf.ɪ.fɛɪs.ɪŋ/ instead of /ˌsɛlf.ɪˈfeɪs.ɪŋ/. Remedy: keep the middle /feɪs/ as the core stress and maintain a light secondary stress on the first syllable if needed. - Slurring /-s/ and /-ɪŋ/ together: producing /-sɪŋ/ or /-sɪŋ/ with a weak final nasal. Remedy: articulate the /feɪs/ clearly, then finish with a crisp /-ɪŋ/ with the tongue resting gently on the palate. - Over-projecting the second syllable: turning /ɪ/ into a heavy vocalic sound. Remedy: keep the /ɪ/ in the second syllable light and short, akin to a quick, airy /ɪ/.
- US: rhotic /r/ is typically audible in linking contexts; ensure you maintain the mid-central position for /ɪ/ and the rounded /eɪ/ in /feɪs/. - UK: more likely non-rhotic; /r/ at end of a word is silent unless followed by a vowel; the /feɪs/ may be slightly clipped in rapid speech; keep the /eɪ/ length moderate. - AU: usually rhotic; more even vowel qualities with slightly broader mouth openness; maintain the /ɪ/ before /feɪs/ crisp and avoid lengthening the final /ɪŋ/. IPA references: /ˌsɛlf.ɪˈfeɪs.ɪŋ/.
"Her self-effacing jokes helped diffuse the tension in the room."
"Despite her technical expertise, she gave credit to the team in a self-effacing speech."
"The coach’s self-effacing remarks surprised everyone who knew her talent."
"In the interview, he handled tough questions with self-effacing humor and grace."
Self-effacing derives from the combination of self, re flecting the reflexive pronoun, and efface, which comes from the Latin effacere (to wipe out, erase). The verb efface originates from ex- (out) + fācare (to make, shape) in Latin, evolving through Old French effacer before entering Middle English as efface. The hyphenated form self- appears in English to form compounds indicating action by oneself. The sense of “humbling oneself, avoiding self-promotion” emerged in the 19th to early 20th century, aligning with modern preferences for modesty in speech and behavior. First attested in English in the late 1800s, self-effacing gained traction in both literature and social commentary as a descriptor for personalities who avoid praise, preferring to credit others or minimize their own role. Over time, the noun form self-effacement appeared to capture the broader concept of downplaying one’s own importance, and the adjective self-effacing became the common adjectival form used to qualify individuals with this trait. In contemporary usage, self-effacing remains a neutral to gently complimentary term depending on context, often signaling humility rather than insecurity."
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Self-Effacing" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Self-Effacing"
-ing sounds
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Self-effacing is pronounced with three syllables: /ˌsɛlf.ɪˈfeɪs.ɪŋ/. The primary stress lands on the second word segment “feis” (the “feɪs” sound). Start with /s/ + /ɛ/ in “self,” then a light /ɪ/ in the second syllable, then the stressed /feɪs/ as in “face,” followed by the final /ɪŋ/. Tips: keep tongue relaxed, avoid tensing the jaw on /ɛ/ and /eɪ/. To hear a reference, compare with the sound of “face” in native speech and place the main emphasis on /ˈfeɪs/ in the middle. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˌsɛlf.ɪˈfeɪs.ɪŋ/.
Two common mistakes are misplacing the primary stress and blending the syllables too quickly. First, some speakers place emphasis on the first syllable, saying /ˈsɛlf.ɪ.fɛɪs.ɪŋ/ or similar, which flattens the intended stress on fea- in /ɪˈfeɪs/. Second, the post-stress /ɪŋ/ can be rushed, producing /ɪn/ or /ɪŋ/ with a weak final sound. Correction: practice the three-syllable rhythm with clear slow pronunciation: /ˌsɛlf.ɪˈfeɪˌsɪŋ/ (secondary stress). Focus on keeping the face-related /feɪs/ segment prominent, then finish with a crisp /ɪŋ/.
Across US, UK, and AU, the core vowels stay consistent, but rhoticity affects the /r/ presence and subtle vowel quality. US and AU speakers are rhotic, with clear /r/ in linking contexts, while UK speakers may be non-rhotic in many dialects, softening /r/ and possibly affecting surrounding vowels. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable often remains centered, but the /eɪ/ in /feɪs/ can be slightly shorter in fast UK speech. Overall, the main difference is in rhoticity and the length of vowels before the final -ing in some regional accents.
The difficulty comes from the combination of a light, quick /ɪ/ in the second syllable and the stressed /feɪs/ with a tense mid-front vowel, then a final /ɪŋ/ that carries less emphasis in natural speech. Balancing the three syllables so that the second segment remains unstressed but audible, while the middle /feɪs/ is clearly accented, requires careful mouth positioning—lip rounding for /feɪs/ and a relaxed jaw for /ɪ/ and /ɪŋ/. IPA cues help keep these distinctions consistent.
Is there a silent letter in 'self-effacing'? No. The pronunciation uses all letters: /ˌsɛlf.ɪˈfeɪs.ɪŋ/. The key points to watch are the stress pattern, with primary stress on the second syllable /feɪs/, and the final -ing being a voiced velar nasal /-ŋ/. The combination of /f/ and /ɪ/ after /l/ creates a light, quick transition between consonants, so avoid adding extra syllable sounds or emphasizing the -ing too much.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker saying several natural sentences with 'self-effacing' and imitate rhythm and pitch, aiming to replicate the three-syllable cadence. - Minimal pairs: compare self-effacing with self-facing (not common but useful), shelf-facing, self-facing; though uncommon, use similar constructs to train rhythm. - Rhythm focus: practice 3-syllable segmentation: SELF / i / FAY / sing; then run at 60-80 bpm, then 100-120 bpm; emphasize /feɪs/ as the nucleus. - Stress patterns: practice with a sentence: ”Her self-effacing attitude helped the team win.” with primary stress on fea- and a light beat on self- -ing. - Recording: record your pronunciation, then compare with a native pronunciation and adjust mouth positions accordingly. - Speed progression: slow (səlf-ɪ-ˈfeɪ-ɪŋ), normal, fast (sɛlf-ɪ-ˈfeɪ-sɪŋ).
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