SPESH-uhlz
/ˈspɛʃəlz/
specials is pronounced SPESH-uhlz (/ˈspɛʃəlz/). Specials is the plural form of the noun or adjective special, referring to items or people designated as exceptional or restricted to a particular purpose. In plural usage, it often denotes distinctive offerings (as in a restaurant’s specials) or unique or notable individuals in a group setting. The term carries a sense of novelty or exclusivity. It’s common in hospitality, retail, and marketing contexts.
Specials is the plural form of the noun or adjective special, referring to items or people designated as exceptional or restricted to a particular purpose. In plural usage, it often denotes distinctive offerings (as in a restaurant’s specials) or unique or notable individuals in a group setting. The term carries a sense of novelty or exclusivity. It’s common in hospitality, retail, and marketing contexts.
- You often reduce the first syllable to a quick /spɛ/ and blur the /ʃ/ into /s/; lock the /ʃ/ as a distinct palato-alveolar fricative right after /ɛ/ with a clean release. - The second syllable tends to be too strong or too weak; aim for a short, quick /əl/ (schwa + l). - Final /z/ can devoice in fast speech; keep your vocal folds vibrating to produce a clear /z/. Avoid ending with a hiss like /s/.
"The restaurant’s specials board features today’s chef’s creations."
"We ran a few specials for VIP guests at the exclusive event."
"The TV network aired several specials to commemorate the anniversary."
Pronounce as /ˈspɛʃ·əlz/ in American and British English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable sounds like SPESH (short e as in 'bet'), the second syllable is schwa + l, and it ends with a voiced z. In careful speech, you’ll articulate the /ɪ/ as a reduced vowel in connected speech, but the standard is /ˈspɛʃ·əlz/. Listen for the crisp /ʃ/ after /ɛ/ and the final voiced /z/.
Common errors: (1) Overpronouncing the second syllable as /iː/ instead of a weak /ə/; (2) misplacing the /ʃ/ and turning it into a /s/ or /ʒ/; (3) making the final z sound devoiced as a /s/ in rapid speech. Correction: keep /ʃ/ as a single, clear palato-alveolar fricative, reduce the second syllable to /əl/ with a schwa, and finish with a voiced /z/; ensure voicing is maintained through the end for a natural final z.
In US/UK/AU, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈspɛʃ/. The vowel in /spɛ/ is a lax short E; rhotic accents may modify the following vowel slightly in connected speech, but there’s no strong rhotic difference in the stressed syllable. The /l/ in /əlz/ is light; Australians may exhibit a slightly closer front vowel in /ɛ/ due to subtler vowel shifts. Overall, most listeners will hear /ˈspɛʃ·əlz/ with minimal variation across these accents.
Two main challenges: the cluster /ʃ/ following a short vowel can cause glossing or mispronunciation; and the unstressed second syllable /əl/ might reduce too much, producing /spɛʃl/ or /spɛʃl̩/. Practice focusing on the move from /ɛ/ to /ʃ/ to /əl/ with a clean, voiced final /z/. Ensuring the /z/ remains audible prevents the word from sounding like /ˈspɛʃəl/ or /ˈspɛsəlz/.
A key nuance is the transition from a stressed syllable to a light, unstressed second syllable that carries the /əl/ schwa-L sequence; many speakers yield a reduced /l/ or swallow the /ə/ slightly in fast speech, yielding /ˈspɛʃlz/ or /ˈspɛʃl̩z/. Emphasize the secondary syllable with a soft, quick /ə/ and preserve the /z/ at the end for natural-sounding speech.
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- US: emphasize the rhotic-like flow before the final consonant; maintain a clear /ə/ in /əlz/ and an audible /z/. - UK: the /ɹ/ is not involved; ensure non-rhotic clarity especially before /z/. - AU: vowels can be slightly more centralized; keep /ɛ/ as a mid-front vowel with a crisp /ʃ/ ensuring strong contrast with /s/; keep final /z/ voiced and not devoiced.
Specials derives from the adjective special, which comes from Old French especial and Latin specialis, meaning ‘particular, particularized, special to a purpose.’ The Latin root specialis is from species ‘kind, appearance, sort,’ extended with the suffix -alis to form adjectives meaning ‘pertaining to a kind.’ In English, special appeared in Middle English via Old French especial, carrying senses of particular, exceptional, or notable. The plural specials likely arose in English as a back-formation from phrases like ‘specials board’ or ‘specials menu’ where the noun form identified multiple items designated as unique or restricted. Over time, specials broadened to include not only goods but also events or programs labeled as exceptional or special for promotion. In modern usage, specials are common in hospitality, media (television specials), and sales, signaling limited-time or curated content that stands apart from the ordinary offering.
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Words that rhyme with "specials"
-als sounds
-les sounds
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