3 syllables: Talk, a, tive. Stress on Talk.
TAW-kuh-tiv
/ˈtɔkətɪv/
Talkative is pronounced TAW-kuh-tiv (/ˈtɔkətɪv/). It has three syllables (Talk-a-tive), with the stress on "Talk". Talkative is an adjective describing a person who tends to talk a lot, often in a lively or excessive manner. It emphasizes extroverted or loquacious verbosity. In usage, it can be neutral or slightly pejorative depending on tone, and it's commonly used to describe behavior in social or formal settings.
adjectiveTalkative is an adjective describing a person who tends to talk a lot, often in a lively or excessive manner. It emphasizes extroverted or loquacious verbosity. In usage, it can be neutral or slightly pejorative depending on tone, and it's commonly used to describe behavior in social or formal settings.
- You may overemphasize the first syllable, making it sound unnatural. Aim for balanced syllable tension so the word sits evenly in speech. • - Middle syllable reductions are common; ensure /kə/ is clearly present even if very short. Practice with slower tempo to stabilize the schwa. • - Final -tive often loses the /v/ sound in rapid speech; keep a light voicing for /v/ so your word ends with a distinct /v/ rather than a voiceless /f/ or silent finish.
How to Pronounce Talkative
"She became talkative after a few drinks and chatted with everyone at the party."
"The tour guide was talkative, offering anecdotes about every landmark."
"He warned that the new policy would be met with a talkative crowd on social media."
Take the word as three syllables: ta-lə-tiv, with primary stress on the first syllable. In IPA, US/UK typically /ˈtɔː.kə.tɪv/ or /ˈtɑː.kə.tɪv/. Start with a strong /t/ followed by an open mid back vowel in the first syllable, then a schwa in the middle, and end with /tɪv/. Mouth position: bring the tongue to a high front position for the /t/ release, open jaw slightly for /ɔː/ or /ɑː/, neutralize to a relaxed schwa for /kə/ and finish with crisp /tɪv/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers saying “talkative” in sentences; aim for a clear initial beat and even tempo across syllables.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress by saying ta-LA-tive with secondary stress on the second syllable. 2) Reducing the middle syllable too much, leading to /ˈtɔː.kɪv/ that sounds incomplete. 3) Slurring or dropping the final -ive, producing /ˈtɔː.kəv/ or /ˈtɑː.kəv/. Correction: maintain clear middle schwa /kə/ and pronounce the final /tɪv/ with a light but audible /v/; practice by isolating ‘talk’ and ‘ative’ and linking them with a gentle vowel in between.
US/UK/AU share initial /ˈtɔː/ or /ˈtɑː/ with strong first syllable, but rhoticity affects /ɔː/ vs /ɔːr/ in some American varieties if followed by a rhotic element; final -tive remains /tɪv/ in most accents. UK RP may have a purer /ɔː/ vowel, while US often features a broader /ɔː/ or even /ɑː/; Australian merges similar to US but with a narrower vowel shift. Overall, the middle /ə/ remains a weak schwa in most accents; ensure the final /tɪv/ is clear across dialects.
Difficult because of the cluster of three syllables with a mid schwa in the middle, and the final -tive produces an affricate-like release if not careful. The /tɪv/ can be reduced in fast speech, leading to /tɪv/ vs /tɪf/ variation. Additionally, non-native speakers often mispronounce the stressed first syllable as /ˈtælə/ instead of /ˈtɔː.kə/. Focus on holding the middle /kə/ and keeping the final /tɪv/ crisp. IPA cues guide accurate mouth positions.
Focus on the strong initial stress, with /ˈtɔː/ or /ˈtɑː/ depending on speaker; the middle /kə/ should be a weak, quick schwa; the final /tɪv/ should be crisp but not over-emphasized. In US speech, you may hear a slightly longer /ɔː/ before /kə/; in UK, a more rounded /ɔː/ and less vowel reduction in rapid speech. The key is maintaining steady rhythm across three syllables and avoiding a heavy, dragged final.
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- US: Rhotic tendencies can subtly alter vowel length; ensure /tɔː/ has a longer duration before /kə/. - UK: Emphasize non-rhoticity; the final r is absent, so the middle schwa remains central. - AU: Similar to US but with slightly flatter intonation; ensure the /ɔː/ remains rounded but not overly tense. IPA anchors: /ˈtɔː.kə.tɪv/ (US/UK); AU often /ˈtɔː.kə.tɪv/ too. - Vowel quality: middle vowel /ə/ should be relaxed; avoid tensing the jaw for the schwa. - Consonants: keep the /t/ release crisp; don’t let it fuse with /k/; maintain voicing on /v/ at the end.
Talkative comes from the Late Middle English talkativenesse, derived from talken (to speak, converse) + -ive (forming adjectives indicating tendency or quality). The root talk traces back to Old English tale or talkian, with Proto-Germanic origins *talkijaną, related to Dutch praten and German reden. The suffix -ive is from Latin -ivus via Old French -if, indicating tendency. Historically, talkative appeared in English to describe people who talk at length, with senses expanding from neutral to mildly pejorative over centuries as social norms around conversation evolved. By the 17th–18th centuries, talkative was common in literature to characterize garrulous characters; in modern usage, it retains a slightly critical nuance but is widely used descriptively in both casual and formal registers. First known print attestations appear in Early Modern English texts, with dictionaries formalizing the term in the 18th and 19th centuries as standard vocabulary for describing people's talkativeness. Today, talkative enjoys frequent usage in everyday speech and writing, across many varieties of English, including academic, media, and social contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Talkative" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Talkative"
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