SUHB-sek-shuhn
/ˈsʌbsɛkʃən/
subsection is pronounced SUHB-sek-shuhn (/ˈsʌbsɛkʃən/). Subsection refers to a smaller division within a larger section of a document, article, or organization. It denotes a distinct, organized subdivision used to structure content or rules. In usage, it often signals specificity within broader topics, aiding clarity and navigation for readers or researchers.
Subsection refers to a smaller division within a larger section of a document, article, or organization. It denotes a distinct, organized subdivision used to structure content or rules. In usage, it often signals specificity within broader topics, aiding clarity and navigation for readers or researchers.
- You’ll over-simplify the middle syllable, saying /səbˈsɛk/ or merging the /k/ into the /ʃ/; fix by holding a crisp /k/ before the /ʃ/ and not letting the /e/ drift. • Try rhythm- and timing-focused drills to keep stress on the second syllable. • Pay attention to the final /ən/; avoid a swallowed ending by keeping a light but audible /n/ before the schwa.
"Please read the subsection on data privacy before continuing with the experiment."
"The legal contract includes a subsection that details liability limits."
"Within the report, a subsection outlines the methodology in detail."
Pronounce as suhb-SEK-shun, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US səˈbˈsek.ʃən or səbˈsek.ʃən; UK səˈbsek.ʃən. In careful speech, the /ˈ/ marks show the stressed syllable. The sequence 'sec' uses the /sek/ sound, and the final syllable is /ʃən/. Keep the 'sub' light and quick, then land the 'sec' with a clear stop before the /ʃən/. Audio cues: [səˈbse.kʃən].
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying suBSEction instead of sUbSEction; ensure primary stress on the second syllable. 2) Fusing 'sec' and 'tion' into /ˈsɛkʃən/ with an extra vowel; aim for /sek.ʃən/ with a clean /k/ before /ʃ/. 3) Slurring the /b/ into the preceding vowel, producing /sb-ɪk-/ instead of /səbˈsek.ʃən/. Practice by isolating the middle syllable: ‘sek’ with a crisp /k/ release, then /ʃən/ quickly.”,
US/UK/AU share the same core structure, but vowel quality and rhoticity influence the overall sound. US and AU typically have rhotic accents with a clear /r/ non-phonemic in this word; the main variability is the central vowel in the first syllable, often /ə/ as in 'uh'. UK non-rhotic tendencies produce a slightly shorter /ə/ sound before the /b/; the /ɪ/ in the second syllable is neutral. In fast speech, Australians may compress the first syllable and make the /e/ in /sek/ a touch tighter, while Americans keep a more distinct /ˈsek/—stress remains on the second syllable.IPA references guide exact mouth positions: US /səˈbsek. ʃən/, UK /səˈbsek. ʃən/, AU /səˈbsek.ʃən/.
The challenge lies in the cluster between the second and third syllables: /bˈsek/ combines a voiced bilabial /b/ with the /s/ and the hard /k/ release before /ʃ/; this can cause a blurring of the /b/ and /s/ or a devoicing error. The weak first syllable /sə/ can be reduced in rapid speech, shifting primary stress or causing an ambiguity with 'sub-'. Practicing the sequence s-uh-b-sek-shun, with slow, careful strokes of the lips and tongue, helps stabilize the transitions. Pay attention to the /k/ before /ʃ/ to avoid combining /k/ and /ʃ/ into /tʃ/.”,
A distinctive feature is the /ˈsek.ʃən/ cluster where the /k/ touches the /ʃ/ with a quick, strong release into the /ʃən/ ending. Ensuring a crisp /k/ before the palato-alveolar /ʃ/ requires a clear articulation of the hard stop, then a rapid press into the /ʃ/. Visualizing 'sub-sec' as two tight blocks helps: 'sub' lightly, then 'sec' with a strong /k/ release, followed by a swift /ʃən/.
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- US: rhoticity is natural, but the /r/ sound doesn’t appear in subsection; focus on clear /ə/ in the first syllable and a crisp /sek/ before /ʃən/. - UK: non-rhotic; the /r/ is not pronounced; length of /ə/ can be shorter; keep /sek/ tight and emphasize the /ʃən/ ending. - AU: often more clipped vowels; maintain the /ˈsek.ʃən/ with a quick, loose /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a bright /ʃən/ ending. IPA: US səˈbsek.ʃən, UK səˈbsek.ʃən, AU səˈbsek.ʃən.
The term subsection is formed from the combination of sub- (a Latin prefix meaning 'under' or 'beneath') and section (from Latin sectio, 'a cutting, a dividing'). The prefix sub- has a long history in English, used to indicate a smaller or subordinate form of something larger. Section itself derives from Latin sectio via Old French, with the sense of a division or portion of a larger body. The compound subsection emerged in the technical and bureaucratic vocabulary as written documents and organizational structures grew more complex, necessitating nested levels of headings. The first attested uses likely appear in mid-to-late 19th century legal and academic texts, where large documents were broken into numbered subsections to facilitate precise references. Over time, subsection has become a standard term across disciplines—products of increasing textual modularity, formalized in style guides and documentation practices. The word carries a precise, formal connotation, signaling a clearly defined, subordinate unit within a broader framework, often used in institutional, technical, and scholarly contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "subsection" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "subsection"
-ion sounds
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