specified

Say it as /ˈspɛsɪfaɪd/. Start with a stressed 'SPES' syllable, using a short, crisp vowel /e/ as in 'red', then a light /ɪ/ in the second syllable, and finish with /faɪd/ where the 'fi' makes the /aɪ/ diphthong. The final /d/ is a clear plosive, not a t-like stop. Mouth position: tongue high-mid for /ɛ/ and /ɪ/, lips relaxed for /æ/ish quality, jaw slightly dropped at onset, with a quick gliding transition into /aɪ/ for the 'fied' part. Audio reference: you’ll hear /ˈspɛsɪfaɪd/ in careful enunciation on Cambridge or Oxford pronunciation listings.

Common errors include misplacing the primary stress (placing it on the second syllable like /ˌspɛsɪˈfaɪd/), pronouncing the /t/ as a stopped or unreleased sound, and merging /ɪf/ into a single schwa-influenced syllable. Correct by maintaining primary stress on the first syllable and articulating /ˈspɛsɪ/ clearly before the /faɪd/ portion. Ensure the /f/ is a voiceless labiodental fricative, not a bilabial approximant; keep /ɪ/ short rather than reducing it to a schwa in the early syllables.

In US, UK, and AU accents the core rhythm and the /ˈspɛsɪfaɪd/ sequence remains, but vowel qualities vary: US /ɛ/ in /spɛs/ tends to have a flatter, more open vowel; UK often has tighter /e/ quality; AU shares a similar /ɛ/ but with a slightly broader vowel in some speakers. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable is typically a short, clipped sound in all, but may be slightly more centralized in Australian speech. The final /aɪd/ diphthong is common across regions but may shift subtly toward [ɐɪ] in some Australian pronunciations.

The difficulty lies in the triplet of sounds: the initial cluster /sp/ requires precise lip and tongue coordination; the mid syllable /ɪ/ sits between a full vowel and a reduced schwa, and the final /aɪd/ involves a strong diphthong with a final dental/alveolar /d/. Paired stresses and rapid linking in connected speech can blur the sequence, so speakers often misplace stress or blur the /s/ and /f/ boundary.

A unique feature is the final /ɪfaɪd/ cluster: the onset of the final syllable begins with /f/ followed by /aɪ/; ensuring the /f/ is released clearly before the diphthong starts can prevent an over-voiced or slurred ending. You should maintain the contrast between /sp/ and /sf/ sequences when whispering or singing, even if you speed up, keeping the final /d/ crisp.