3 syllables: sub, ject, ion. Stress on ject.
suhb-JEK-shuhn
/səbˈdʒɛkʃən/
subjection is pronounced suhb-JEK-shuhn (/səbˈdʒɛkʃən/). It has three syllables (sub-ject-ion), with the stress on "ject". Subjection refers to the act or process of placing someone or something under the authority or control of another; often used to describe political or social domination or coercive submission. It conveys a state of being subjected, not merely a momentary compliance, and implies systemic or formal imposition rather than casual obedience. The term encompasses legal, political, or moral dimensions of control.
Subjection refers to the act or process of placing someone or something under the authority or control of another; often used to describe political or social domination or coercive submission. It conveys a state of being subjected, not merely a momentary compliance, and implies systemic or formal imposition rather than casual obedience. The term encompasses legal, political, or moral dimensions of control.
- You may tilt toward an American /ʌ/ realization in the first vowel; keep it as a neutral schwa /ə/ to avoid an 'uh' sound that stiffens the word. - The /dʒ/ should be a compact affricate; avoid turning it into a /d/ + /ʒ/ sequence. - Final /ən/ often reduces to /n/ or /ən/; keep a light, unstressed schwa before the last consonant for natural rhythm. - Rush through the -ject- syllable; allow a crisp /dʒek/ before the /ʃən/. - Some speakers insert an extra vowel between /b/ and /dʒ/; prevent that by gliding directly from /b/ to /dʒ/.
"The subjection of the colony to imperial rule lasted for decades."
"Her subjection to the committee's decisions was evident in the approved budget and policies."
"The historical subjection of women was challenged by early feminist movements."
Break it as /ˌsəbˈdʒek.ʃən/. The primary stress sits on the second syllable 'ject' as in -dʒek-. Start with /sə/ (schwa + s), then /b/ linked to /dʒ/ for the 'bj' blend, then /ek/, and finish with /ʃən/ (shun). Tip: ensure the /dʒ/ is a single consonant sound, avoid a separate /d/ + /ʒ/ sequence. IPA reference: US /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/, UK /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/, AU /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/.”,
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable as /ˈsəb.dʒek.ʃən/ instead of secondary stress on the second; (2) Pronouncing /dʒ/ as a sequence /d/ + /ʒ/ or delaying the /dʒ/ so it sounds like /tʃ/; (3) Failing to reduce the initial /ə/ to a schwa in fast speech, making it sound artificial. Corrections: keep /ə/ as a relaxed schwa, compress the /dʒ/ into one affricate after /b/, and glide into /ʃən/ without an extra syllable. IPA cues: /səˈb.dʒek.ʃən/ → /səˈbɪdʒˈɛk.ʃən/ confusion; aim for /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/.”,”keywords”:[“stress placement”,” affricate /dʒ/”,”schwa reduction”]},{
Across accents, the core /səb/ onset and /ˈdʒek.ʃən/ nucleus are stable. In US, rhoticity influences the preceding vowel in connected speech; you’ll hear linking with r-colored vowel in fast speech. UK tends to clearer enunciation of the /dʒ/ and final /ən/ with less vowel reduction. AU often reduces unstressed vowels more aggressively, so /ə/ may be shorter and less pronounced. Overall: stress pattern remains secondary-stress on the -ject- syllable, but vowel qualities and reduction differ slightly. IPA anchors: US /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/, UK /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/, AU /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/.
Three phonetic challenges: (1) the /dʒ/ cluster after /b/ can feel tight in your mouth—practice a quick /b/ release into a crisp /dʒ/ without inserting a vowel between; (2) the secondary stress and vowel timing around /ˌsəb/ require precise timing to avoid rushing before the -ject-; (3) final /ʃən/ can be reduced or slurred in connected speech; aim for a clean /ʃən/ with a neutral schwa before it. IPA cues: /ˌsəbˈdʒek.ʃən/; focus on alveolar placement and palatal affricate.
Note the suffix -jection is pronounced /ˈdʒek/ in the stressed syllable. Many learners mispronounce it as /ˈdʒec.tɪn/ or /ˈdʒ eks.hən/. The correct cluster is /dʒek/ with a short e as in “bed,” followed by /ʃən/ for the trailing -tion. Practically, say 'sub-' with a light schwa, then rigidly release the /dʒ/ into /ek/, and finish with the /ʃən/. IPA: /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/.
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- US: rhoticity doesn't heavily affect this word but you may link the /ə/ to following consonants; keep vocal tract relaxed in the first syllable. - UK: more precise enunciation of /dʒ/ and /ʃən/; ensure clarity on the affricate and the final /ən/. - AU: tendency to vowel-reduce unstressed syllables more; maintain a stable /ə/ in the first syllable and avoid over-reduction in stressed segments. IPA anchors: /səbˈdʒek.ʃən/ across dialects, with minor timing differences and vowel durations.
Subjection derives from Middle English subieccioun, from Medieval Latin subiectio(n-), from subicere ‘to throw under, subject’ (from sub- ‘under’ + icere ‘to throw’). The root icere evolved in legal and political language to denote placing under jurisdiction or control. The term first appears in significant usage in the late medieval to early modern period, aligning with entities such as monarchies and governing bodies asserting authority over subjects or territories. Over centuries, subjection broadened from legalistic submission to broader social and psychological contexts of coercion, obedience, and conformity, while retaining its core sense of under-authorization and constraint. In contemporary usage, ‘subjection’ commonly appears in formal discourse, history, law, and political theory, often contrasted with autonomy and liberty. The word’s morphology—prefix sub- + -ject- (to throw) + -ion (noun)—reflects classical roots and a pattern seen in related words like injection, projection, and objection. First known written attestations appear in English legal and ecclesiastical texts, but the concept predates written records in many political codifications where subordination under rulers or laws was implicit rather than explicitly named as “subjection.”
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Words that rhyme with "subjection"
-ion sounds
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