4 syllables: su, i ge, ne, ris. Stress on su.
SOO-ee-jen-uh-ris
/ˈsu.i d͡ʒɛnəɹɪs/
Sui Generis is pronounced SOO-ee-jen-uh-ris (/ˈsu.i d͡ʒɛnəɹɪs/). It has four syllables (su-i ge-ne-ris), with the stress on "su". Sui generis is a Latin phrase used in English to describe something that is uniquely the only example of its kind or constitutionally unique. It denotes distinctiveness or individuality within a category, often implying that something is not comparable to others. The term is commonly used in academic, legal, and philosophical discourse to denote singular, inherently unique status.
nounSui generis is a Latin phrase used in English to describe something that is uniquely the only example of its kind or constitutionally unique. It denotes distinctiveness or individuality within a category, often implying that something is not comparable to others. The term is commonly used in academic, legal, and philosophical discourse to denote singular, inherently unique status.
- You may flatten Sui to a rapid, single-syllable form; fix by stretching it to SOO-ee with a light, even intonation, then pause before Generis. - Don’t blend the two words; keep a deliberate boundary and a small rise in pitch at the start of Generis to signal a new word. - The middle syllable in Generis can soften; avoid pronouncing it as a hard -ner-; aim for /ˈdʒə-nɛr-ɪs/ with a clear schwa in the second syllable. Remember the final -is is a short /ɪs/ not -iss or -eese. - Common mispronunciation is to de-emphasize the first syllable to SOO-i; maintain primary stress on Sui and the second on Generis’s first syllable for natural rhythm.
How to Pronounce Sui Generis
"The artist’s work remains sui generis, defying easy comparison to other movements."
"In constitutional law, the region operates as a sui generis entity with its own special status."
"The novel’s narrative voice is sui generis, blending irony with lyrical introspection."
Pronounce it as SOO-ee JEN-uh-riss, with primary stress on the first syllable of Sui and secondary stress on the first syllable of Generis. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈsuːi dʒəˈnɛrɪs/. Start the first word with a long “u” sound, then slide into a light schwa in the second word for the middle syllable. Think of it as two clear words without blending into a single unit.
Common errors include flattening Sui to a short, clipped “soo-ick” and rushing Generis so the middle syllable gets swallowed. Correct by lengthening the first syllable to SOO-ee and clearly sounding the second word with a distinct GEN-uh-riss, keeping the final -ris clearly enunciated. Practice with your tongue relaxed, jaw lowered, and a small pause between the two words.
In US/UK/AU, the first word retains a long “u” (SOO-ee) and a two-syllable second word with a stressed first syllable (JEN-uh-ris). Differences are subtle: UK often yields a crisper final -ris, US may have a slightly fuller vowel in Generis, and AU mirrors US pronunciation but can show a shorter /ə/ in the middle syllable depending on speaker. Overall, the rhythm remains two distinct words.
The difficulty stems from balancing the two-word Latin phrase in English pronunciation, especially preserving the long vowel in Sui and the final consonant cluster in Generis. The mid syllable of Generis (/dʒəˈnɛr/) requires careful articulation to avoid slurring the -ger- to -geris. Practicing with deliberate pauses and listening to native modeling helps you place the stress and distinct vowels correctly.
A distinctive aspect is the second word’s initial consonant cluster /dʒ/ (the J sound). You should start Generis with a clear dʒ sound, not a soft g. Also ensure the middle vowel is a schwa in the first syllable of Generis and the secondary stress lands on the first syllable of Generis. This keeps the phrase sounding scholarly rather than slurred.
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- US: rhotic accent; emphasize /ɑr/ and /ər/ in Generis; keep /ˈsuːi/ a tight diphthong without over-enunciating the final /r/. - UK: less rhotic interpolation; may de-emphasize the /r/ unless followed by a vowel; keep /ˈsuːi/ with a crisp /ˈdʒe/ onset in Generis. - AU: tends to equalize vowels; maintain /ˈsuːi/ and keep the /dʒ/ cluster clear; avoid overly rounded lip rounding, which can alter /juː/ to /ju/. - IPA references: /ˈsuːi dʒəˈnɛrɪs/ across all three forms; ensure the schwa in /dʒə/ and the short /ɛ/ in /nɛr/ are distinct from any stronger vowels.
Sui generis comes from Latin, literally meaning “of itself” (sui) and “of its kind” (generis). The phrase first appears in Latin texts and later entered English via legal, philosophical, and scholarly writing. In Latin, sui conveys selfhood or reference to the subject, while generis denotes a kind or class. Its use matured in the Enlightenment and 19th-century scholarship to describe things that cannot be neatly categorized within existing taxonomies. Over time, the phrase took on a strong normative sense: something sui generis is irreducible to ordinary categories; it stands apart as a category of its own. Although Latin is the origin, the modern pronunciation in English has adapted to English phonology, with stress typically on the first word: Sui (SOO-ee) Generis (JEN-uh-ris). First known use in English appears in scholarly prose of the 19th century, and by the late 20th century the term was widely adopted in humanities, law, and social sciences to emphasize exceptional, non-classifiable status in debates about law, culture, and institutions.
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Words that rhyme with "Sui Generis"
-ous sounds
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