STAH-pij
/ˈstɑpɪdʒ/
stoppage is pronounced STAH-pij (/ˈstɑpɪdʒ/). A stoppage is a temporary halt or suspension of an activity, process, or operation. It implies a deliberate or involuntary pause that interrupts normal flow, often leading to a delay or standstill. The term is commonly used in contexts like labor disputes, traffic, manufacturing, and medical or political processes.
A stoppage is a temporary halt or suspension of an activity, process, or operation. It implies a deliberate or involuntary pause that interrupts normal flow, often leading to a delay or standstill. The term is commonly used in contexts like labor disputes, traffic, manufacturing, and medical or political processes.
"The factory announced a stoppage in production due to a safety inspection."
"There was a brief stoppage in voting as the ballot issue was debated."
"A stoppage occurred on the highway after the collision, causing a long traffic jam."
US/UK/AU IPA: /ˈstɒp.ɪdʒ/. The word has two syllables with primary stress on the first: STOP-pij. Begin with a rounded back of the tongue /ɒ/ vowel in stressed syllable, then a clear /p/ burst, followed by a short /ɪ/ and the final /dʒ/ as in 'judge.' Keep the lips relaxed after /p/ and allow the /dʒ/ to blend smoothly into the final consonant sound. Audio reference: General American and British corpora align on /ˈstɒp.ɪdʒ/; in American English the /ɒ/ may sound closer to /ɑ/ in some dialects. Practice by saying 'stop' + 'age' quickly, but ensure the /dʒ/ is audible rather than eliding into a /d/ or /j/.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /t/ into the /p/ leading to a lax /stobidge/ feel; ensure a distinct /t/ release before /p/. 2) Dropping the final /-dʒ/ and saying /ˈstɒp.ɪd/ or /ˈstɒp.ɪdʒ/ with reduced voicing; keep full /dʒ/. 3) Misplacing stress or using /ˈstɒπιdʒ/ with a reduced first syllable; keep primary stress on the first syllable. Corrections: separate the /p/ burst clearly, do a crisp /t/ release, and ensure the /dʒ/ is voiced with a brief vocal tract closure followed by release into /dʒ/.
In US English, the first syllable often has a shorter, flatter /ɒ/ vowel; in UK English, /ɒ/ is a more rounded and/ or broader vowel; Australian vowels may vary toward /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ with less rhotic influence. The /dʒ/ at the end remains voiced across accents. Some Americans may reduce unstressed vowels more than British or Australian speakers. The main differences lie in vowel quality of /ɒ/ and subtle lip rounding, but the overall pattern ST OP - IJ remains consistent across dialects.
It challenges you in two ways: the abrupt stop between /p/ and /ɪ/ requires precise timing and the final /dʒ/ can blur if not released crisply. Learners often mispronounce as 'stop—age' with a silent or weak /dʒ/ or merge /p/ and /ɪ/. Focus on a clean /t/ burst, distinct /p/ release, and a fully voiced /dʒ/ by pressing the tongue behind the upper teeth and allowing a smooth airflow to create the /dʒ/ consonant.
The final consonant cluster is /-ɪdʒ/; the /dʒ/ should be clearly released, not devoiced or omitted. The medial vowel is a short /ɪ/ as in 'kit,' not a long /iː/; ensure the /p/ and /ɪ/ aren’t fused. Emphasize the two distinct phonetic steps: a tight /p/ closure with a quick burst into /ɪ/, then a precise /dʒ/ release. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'stogie' or 'stomp' can help isolate the /dʒ/.
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Stoppage comes from the verb stop + the abstract noun suffix -age, formed in English to indicate an action, process, or result. The word stop itself traces to Old English stoppian, influenced by Old Dutch stōpin or Middle Low German stopen, all rooted in Proto-Germanic *stopjaną, meaning 'to stop or to set in place.' The noun form stoppage emerged in the 16th–17th centuries as English speakers used -age to create nouns denoting a state, condition, or action derived from verbs. Early uses referred to the act of stopping, a delay, or a halt in various contexts; by the 19th century, industrial and legal contexts popularized stoppage as a formal term for suspensions (labor stoppages, stoppages in supply or process). Over time, its usage broadened to describe any pause that interrupts normal activity, with nuance depending on domain (work stoppage, stoppage of a play, stoppage time in sports). The word’s core meaning remains a temporary interruption rather than a permanent end, and it is often paired with adjectives describing duration or cause (temporary, voluntary, hardware stoppage).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "stoppage" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "stoppage"
-age sounds
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