SPEE-chuhz
/ˈspitʃəz/
speeches is pronounced SPEE-chuhz (/ˈspitʃəz/). Speeches (noun, plural) are formal addresses delivered to an audience, often to inform, persuade, or commemorate. They are typically structured with an introduction, main points, and a conclusion, and may be delivered publicly or recorded for broadcast. In everyday use, the word also refers to instances of giving talks in various settings, not just political or ceremonial contexts.
Speeches (noun, plural) are formal addresses delivered to an audience, often to inform, persuade, or commemorate. They are typically structured with an introduction, main points, and a conclusion, and may be delivered publicly or recorded for broadcast. In everyday use, the word also refers to instances of giving talks in various settings, not just political or ceremonial contexts.
- You might naturally shorten the long /iː/ to a quick /ɪ/ in rapid speech. Fix: hold the /iː/ for a beat longer, then glide into /tʃ/. - Some speakers blend /t/ and /ʃ/ sounds into /tʃ/ too early or too late. Fix: articulate /t/ crisply with a brief stop, then release into /tʃ/. - Final /ɪz/ can reduce to /ɪ/ or /z/ when speaking fast. Fix: maintain /ɪz/ in careful speech, or practice consistent /ɪz/ for clarity; otherwise keep it as /ɪz/ in formal contexts.
"The president gave three short speeches during the campaign trail."
"Her graduation speeches captivated the audience with humor and clarity."
"The conference featured speeches from leaders in technology and science."
Pronounce as /ˈspiːtʃɪz/. Start with the consonant cluster /sp/ followed by the long /iː/ in the stressed syllable, then /tʃ/ as in 'check', and end with /ɪz/ for the plural ending. The stress is on the first syllable: SPEECH-es. Tip: keep the /iː/ steady to avoid a reduced vowel. Listen to native speakers or use Pronounce as a reference for audio example.
Common errors: (1) Truncating the /iː/ to a short /ɪ/ sound, resulting in SPICH-es; (2) misarticulating /tʃ/ as /t/ or /ʃ/, yielding spee-ses or speesh-es; (3) improper cluster with /sp/ where the /s/ becomes devoiced. Correction: hold the /iː/ longer, produce /tʃ/ as a single affricate after /iː/, and finish with a clear /ɪz/ or /əz/ depending on rhythm. Practice the sequence /s/ + /p/ + /iː/ + /tʃ/ + /ɪz/ slowly, then speed up.
In US and UK, the /ˈspiːtʃɪz/ form is similar, but rhoticity and vowel quality can shift; US may have slightly tenser /iː/ and clearer rhoticity, UK can have a marginally more centralized vowel and less rhotic influence in non-rhotic variants when linked, but /spiːtʃ/ remains accurate. Australian tends to be closer to UK vowels with a bright /iː/ and crisp /tʃ/, while maintaining the /ɪz/ ending. Overall the main stress and vowel length are consistent across three varieties.
Two main challenges: the long /iː/ in the stressed syllable and the /tʃ/ consonant cluster /tʃ/ after /iː/. Some speakers reduce the final /ɪz/ to /ɪz/ or /əz/ depending on speed, and may devoice /s/ at the end in casual speech. The combination of /spiː/ + /tʃ/ requires precise tongue control: the front tongue rises to produce /iː/ while the tip contacts the alveolar ridge for /t/ and the blade edges slightly for /tʃ/. Practice helps integrate the sequence.
Does the plural suffix affect syllable count or stress in connected speech? No; the word remains two syllables: /ˈspiːtʃɪz/. In rapid connected speech you might hear a light linking glide into the /ɪ/ and the /z/ may sound like a z-voice; keep the /ɪ/ distinct but allow subtle vowel reduction in fast delivery to maintain intelligibility.
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- US: /ˈspiːtʃɪz/ with strong rhoticity; ensure the /r/ is not added, as it’s not present. UK: /ˈspiːtʃɪz/ with slightly more centralized or forward tongue position; less vowel lengthening in unstressed parts. AU: /ˈspiːtʃɪz/ similar to UK but with a brighter /iː/. IPA confirms /spiːtʃ/ cluster; avoid over-aspiration. - Vowel differences: keep /iː/ long; in non-rhotic UK variants, the ending /ɪz/ remains clear despite potential vowel reductions in casual speech. Consonants: maintain voiced /z/ at the end; avoid devoicing in careful speech.
Speeches comes from the noun sense of ‘speech’ meaning a formal talk or address. Old English speech is from sprec, related to to speak, from the Proto-Germanic spra-k, with cognates in Old Frisian spraech, Old High German sprāh, and Dutch gesprek (conversation). Over time, ‘speech’ broadened from the act of speaking to a formal discourse delivered publicly. The plural ‘speeches’ preserves the regular plural form in English. The shift toward formal orations, especially in political and ceremonial contexts, became prominent in the 17th–18th centuries as public oratory gained cultural prominence. In modern usage, ‘speeches’ often collocates with political events, public life, academic conferences, and ceremonial occasions, while retaining the sense of a defined, prepared discourse as opposed to one-off casual talk. The pronunciation has remained stable across dialects, though vowel quality and rhythm may vary with accent. The word appears in many languages with adapted spellings, but the English term and its plural form track a consistent semantic thread through public speaking traditions.
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Words that rhyme with "speeches"
-hes sounds
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