One syllable: Soul.
sohl
/soʊl/
Soul is pronounced sohl (/soʊl/). It has one syllable (Soul), with the stress on "Soul". Soul is a noun referring to the animate, intangible essence of a being; often described as the core or spirit that gives life, feeling, and individuality. It also appears in idioms such as “soul of the group” or “soul-searching.” The term has philosophical, religious, and cultural dimensions, and can denote deep emotional resonance or the central, authentic nature of a person or thing.
nounSoul is a noun referring to the animate, intangible essence of a being; often described as the core or spirit that gives life, feeling, and individuality. It also appears in idioms such as “soul of the group” or “soul-searching.” The term has philosophical, religious, and cultural dimensions, and can denote deep emotional resonance or the central, authentic nature of a person or thing.
- You often hear learners insert an extra vowel before the /l/ (e.g., /soʊ-əl/); practice the tight, closed monosyllable by keeping the /oʊ/ duration and flowing directly into the /l/. - Some learners overly articulate the /l/, making a light, crisp blend rather than a soft, natural one; aim for a gentle lateral release with a relaxed tongue tip, not a sharp alveolar stop. - In some accents, the vowel quality shifts toward /ɔ/ or /ə/, creating an indistinct start; keep the tongue slightly higher and fronted for american /oʊ/ or british /əʊ/ before the /l/. - Practice tip: use minimal pairs like “soul” vs “sole” to hear how small vowel changes affect the word—focus on keeping the same moisture and jaw position for the /l/.
"- Jazz musicians feel the soul of a performance when the groove compels you to move."
"- She wears her soul on her sleeve, expressing genuine emotion in every word."
"- The charity’s work is the soul of the organization, guiding its mission."
Pronounce it as a long o sound /oʊ/ followed by an /l/: US /soʊl/, UK /səʊl/, AU /səʊl/. The initial onset is a simple, rounded vowel glide into a clear alveolar lateral /l/. Primary stress falls on this single-syllable word. If you’re reproducing, let the /oʊ/ be steady and avoid a clipped stop before the /l/. Audio reference: many dictionaries provide native-speaker clips; listen for the elongated /oʊ/ and the light, dark /l/.
Common errors: 1) pronouncing it as /səʊl/ with a schwa before the vowel, which softens the initial vowel; 2) adding an extra consonant, like /saʊl/ or /soʊəl/, which makes it sound like two syllables; 3) misplacing the tongue so the /l/ isn’t clearly articulated. Correction: keep a steady /oʊ/ closing into a crisp /l/, with the tongue blade approaching the alveolar ridge for a clean lateral release. Use your lips lightly rounded for /oʊ/ and keep the /l/ light unless you’re in a velarized (dark) l environment.
In US English, /soʊl/ with a clear long o and a light, dark-glide consonant; rhotic influence is minimal as there’s no /r/. In UK English, /səʊl/ often uses a slightly more centralized starting vowel, with non-rhotic tendency but the /l/ remains clear. Australian English tends toward a centralized /əʊ/ with a relatively lenient vowel before the /l/, and the /l/ can be syllabic or darker depending on speaker. The key is vowel quality before /l/: /oʊ/ vs /əʊ/ and whether the /l/ is light or dark.
The challenge lies in maintaining a lengthened diphthong /oʊ/ while transitioning into the liquid /l/ without inserting an extra syllable or fatiguing the vocal tract. Many speakers also struggle with the final /l/ in a way that sounds either too light or too heavily velarized. Accurate jaw relaxation, a steady tongue position for /oʊ/, and a light, precise alveolar lateral constriction are essential to avoid distortion or misperception as /soʊ/ or /soul/ with a trailing sound.
Soul is often pronounced as a single, closed syllable with a long vowel, but the exact vowel realisation can shift in connected speech. In fast speech or compound phrases like “soul food,” you may hear assimilation where the /l/ tempo affects the preceding vowel length. Practicing the word in isolation, then in phrases like “soul mate” or “soul-searching,” helps ensure the /oʊ/ maintains its quality without swallowing the /l/.
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- US: /soʊl/; keep a rounded, mid-back tongue position for /oʊ/, then relax into the alveolar /l/. Stress is on the word; pitch can stay level in neutral statements. - UK: /səʊl/; the starting vowel is more centralized; avoid over-lengthening the vowel and keep /l/ clear but not velarized. - AU: /səʊl/; vowel may be even more centralized with less vowel separation before the /l/; keep the /l/ dark or light based on regional preference; maintain consistent voicing on the vowel. IPA reminders: US /soʊl/, UK /səʊl/, AU /səʊl/.
Soul comes from Old English sáwol, linked to Proto-Germanic salwô- and Proto-Indo-European root *sewl- meaning ‘life, self, breath.’ Early sense emphasized living, vital essence; by Middle English, soul broadened to include spiritual nature and immaterial self. The word has cognates in many Germanic languages (German Seele, Dutch ziel) reflecting a common Indo-European concept of an inner life force. Throughout history, soul has fused religious and philosophical connotations: in Christian theology, the soul is the immortal essence awaiting judgment; in secular usage, it denotes the core character or emotional center of a person or thing. In modern English, “soul” also appears in expressions like “soul mate,” “soul food,” and “soul searching,” reinforcing its association with authentic, life-centered experience. First known citations appear in Old English texts; by the 12th–14th centuries, it had become a staple in poetry and prose, carrying nuanced meanings of life, spirit, and inner being that persist in contemporary usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Soul" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Soul" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Soul"
-oll sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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