4 syllables: Si, mu, la, tion. Stress on la.
sim-yuh-LAY-shuhn
/ˌsɪmjəˈleɪʃən/
Simulation is pronounced sim-yuh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌsɪmjəˈleɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Si-mu-la-tion), with the stress on "la". Simulation is the act or process of imitating a real-world system or scenario to study its behavior, train, or test outcomes. It involves creating a model that replicates essential features and responses, enabling controlled experimentation without the original environment. In practice, simulations range from computer-based models to experiential drills in medicine, aviation, and engineering.
nounSimulation is the act or process of imitating a real-world system or scenario to study its behavior, train, or test outcomes. It involves creating a model that replicates essential features and responses, enabling controlled experimentation without the original environment. In practice, simulations range from computer-based models to experiential drills in medicine, aviation, and engineering.
How to Pronounce Simulation
"The flight simulator provides a safe environment to practice emergency procedures."
"We used a virtual hospital simulation to teach triage during a mass casualty drill."
"The software simulates climate patterns to predict long-term effects of emissions."
Pronounce as /ˌsɪm.juˈleɪ.ʃən/ (US) or /ˌsɪm.juˈleɪ.ʃən/ (UK). Stress falls on the third syllable: si-MU-la-tion, with secondary stress on the second syllable in careful speech. Begin with a clear /ˌsɪ/ cluster, glide to /ju/ as in 'you,' then /ˈleɪ/ as in 'lay,' and finish with /ʃən/ like 'shun.' Mouth positions: start with a light alveolar /s/ plus /ɪ/, raise the tongue for /j/ before the /u/ vowel, then a mid-back /l/ and fronted /eɪ/ diphthong, ending with a soft /ʃ/ plus a schwa or syllabic /n/ depending on pace.
Common errors: 1) Running the /ju/ together too freely so it becomes /juː/ or a hard /ju/ sound; keep it as /ju/ transitioning into /ˈleɪ/. 2) Misplacing the primary stress on the first or second syllable; ensure the main stress is on the third: si-MU-la-tion. 3) Flattening the /ʃ/ into /s/ or /tʃ/; maintain the /ʃ/ in the final syllable. Practice by isolating the /ˌsɪm.juˈleɪ.ʃən/ sequence and emphasizing the /ˈleɪ/ before the /ʃən/ ending.
US/UK/AU share the same core: /ˌsɪm.juˈleɪ.ʃən/. The main differences are vowel quality and rhotics: US tends to be rhotic with a clearer /ɹ/ in connected speech and slightly different vowel height in /ɪ/ and /eɪ/; UK often has a shorter /ɪ/ and less rhoticity in some words, though /ˈleɪ/ remains stable; Australian tends to a flatter /ɪ/ and a non-rhotic approach, with a more centralized /ɪ/ and a slightly closer vowel in /ə/ before final syllable. Overall, the vowel duration and connecting rhythm shift subtly across regions.
Key challenges: the cluster /mju/ requires a smooth transition between /m/ and /j/ to avoid a break; the /ˈleɪ/ diphthong requires a precise movement from /e/ to /ɪ/ while keeping /l/ onward; the final /ʃən/ blends /ʃ/ with a soft schwa or syllabic nasal, which can be awkward in rapid speech. Practicing with controlled tempo helps prevent consonant intrusion or mis-stressing the syllables, especially in phrases like 'computer simulation' where pace accelerates.
A useful detail is the subtle vowel link between /j/ and /u/ in /ˌsɪm.juˈleɪ.ʃən/. In natural speech, the /j/ glides into the /u/ so that /ju/ sounds like a quick, smooth 'you' without an extra syllable. Think of it as a semi-consonantal glide creating a seamless /ju/ rather than two distinct sounds; this keeps the word flowing in phrases like 'simulation model'.
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The word simulation comes from the Latin simulat- (imitated) from the verb simulare, meaning to imitate or feign, which is related to simulatio, a feigning or pretense. It entered English in the 16th century in legal and philosophical contexts to denote feigned actions or appearances. With the rise of science and technology in the 19th and 20th centuries, simulation broadened to describe models and experiments that replicate real systems without exposing them to the actual environment. The modern sense—especially in computing, aviation, and medicine—emerged with the advent of computer-based modeling in mid-20th century, where a program could replicate dynamics of weather, traffic, or biological processes. First known uses appeared in literary and philosophical discussions of impersonation and semblance, then increasingly in technical disciplines as systems analysis matured. Today, simulation denotes both the act of imitation and the technology that makes such imitation possible, spanning training, design, testing, and predictive analysis across industries.
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Words that rhyme with "Simulation"
-ion sounds
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