tab-yuh-LAY-shuhn
/ˌtæbjəˈleɪʃən/
tabulation is pronounced tab-yuh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌtæbjəˈleɪʃən/). Tabulation is the process of organizing data into a table or list for easy reference and analysis. It often implies systematic counting, labeling, or arranging items in rows and columns. In technical contexts, tabulation supports comparison, summarization, and clear presentation of information.
Tabulation is the process of organizing data into a table or list for easy reference and analysis. It often implies systematic counting, labeling, or arranging items in rows and columns. In technical contexts, tabulation supports comparison, summarization, and clear presentation of information.
"The census results were presented in neat tabulation for quick cross‑column comparisons."
"Researchers performed a tabulation of the survey responses to identify trends."
"The spreadsheet includes a tabulation of scores by participant and category."
US: /təˌbjuːləˈeɪʃən/ or /təˌbjuleɪˈʃən/; UK: /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/; AU: /təˌbjuːləˈseɪʃən/ (pronunciation may vary by speaker). Stress falls on the third syllable: tab-u-LA-tion. Focus on the /ˌbjuː/ cluster after the first syllable. Use a light, almost schwa-like middle "la" and a clear final "tion" as /-ʃən/. Audio reference: consider listening to word-pronunciation in dictionaries or Pronounce for native intonation.
Common mistakes: 1) Dropping the /j/ and saying ta-by-u-lation instead of /tæbjuˈleɪʃən/. 2) Misplacing stress, saying ta-BU-la-tion or ta-bju-LA-tion. 3) Muddling the final /ʃən/ into /tən/ or /sən/. Correction: maintain /ˌbjuː/ as a single breathe group after ta, place stress on the third syllable - la, and finalize with a clear /ʃən/. Practice saying ta-BYOO-lay-shun with a light, non-tensed jaw.
US speakers often reduce /ˌbj/ into a smoother /ˈbjul/, giving /təˌbjuːləˈeɪʃən/. UK tends toward /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/ with crisp /j/ after /b/. Australian tends to maintain /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/ but with more vowel flattening and a slightly broader /æ/ in the first syllable. Across accents, the /t/ at the start remains voiceless, the /bj/ sequence is prominent, and the final /ʃən/ is stable. IPA notes: US /təˌbjuːləˈeɪʃən/; UK /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/; AU /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/.
Key challenges: the /bj/ cluster following /t/ requires a rapid linking of /b/ and /j/ to produce /bjʊ/ rather than a hard break; the /ˌleɪ/ sequence in the second syllable often shifts to a slower glide; and the final /ʃən/ must be crisp without a preceding schwa. Practicing with minimal pairs and slow-to-fast drills helps stabilize the trio of syllables: ta-byoo-la-tion. IPA cues: /təˌbjuːləˈeɪʃən/ (US) /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/ (UK).
A unique angle is maintaining the liquid-like /j/ onset of the /juː/ portion after /b/. Many non-native speakers insert an extra syllable or separate /j/ too much, resulting in ta-joo-lay-tion. Keep the /j/ tightly bound to /b/ as /bj(uː)/, and ensure the following /lə/ is unstressed. IPA reference: /təˌbjuːləˈeɪʃən/ (US), /ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/ (UK).
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Tabulation comes from Late Latin tabulatio, from Latin tabula, meaning a board, plank, or table. The root tabula traces to Proto-Italic tabula, from Proto-Indo-European *tábal- meaning ‘board, plank, tablet.’ In classical Latin, tabula referred to a writing tablet or list, and in medieval Latin it broadened to denote a register or table used for counting and recording. The English word tabulate appeared in the 15th century, originally meaning to reduce to a table or table-like form. By the 18th and 19th centuries, tabulation gained specialized use in statistics and data processing, denoting the systematic arrangement of data into rows and columns for analysis. Over time, tabulation became central in scientific reporting, accounting, and computing, where precise, structured presentation of data is essential.
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