TAY-sting
/ˈteɪstɪŋ/
tasting is pronounced TAY-sting (/ˈteɪstɪŋ/). Tasting refers to the experience of trying or sampling something, typically involving detecting flavors and assessing quality. It can also describe the act of taking small sips or bites for evaluation. The term is used in culinary, wine, and sensory contexts, and may function as a noun (the tasting) or verb form (tasting).
Tasting refers to the experience of trying or sampling something, typically involving detecting flavors and assessing quality. It can also describe the act of taking small sips or bites for evaluation. The term is used in culinary, wine, and sensory contexts, and may function as a noun (the tasting) or verb form (tasting).
- You often mispronounce the /eɪ/ in the first syllable, making it sound like /tæstɪŋ/ instead of /ˈteɪstɪŋ/. Practice by holding the /eɪ/ vowel longer before the /st/ cluster. - The /t/ and /s/ can blend; avoid a heavy /t/ release before /s/. Use a light stop and keep /st/ together as a cluster. - Final /ŋ/ should be velar nasal, not an /ŋk/ or /ŋg/; ensure the back of the tongue rises to the velum for the nasal. - In some dialects, the /t/ can be tapped or glottalized in rapid speech; aim for a crisp alveolar stop in careful speech, then practice reducing it in casual speech without losing intelligibility.
"The tasting menu offered a curated sequence of small courses."
"She enjoyed a wine tasting to learn about regional varietals."
"During the sensory panel, tasters rated sweetness, acidity, and finish."
/ˈteɪ.stɪŋ/ in US/UK/AU. The first syllable is stressed: TEI( )T with a long a as in 'day'. The second syllable uses a short, lax 'i' sound /ɪ/. End with the velar nasal /ŋ/. lips relaxed, tongue high-mid for /eɪ/; the /t/ is a light alveolar stop; ensure the /t/ is not a glottal stop in careful speech. Think: TEI-sting. Audio resources: YouGlish or Forvo can confirm the pattern.
Most speakers misplace the /t/ or reduce it to a glottal stop before the /ɪŋ/, making it sound like 'teasing' or 'ta-sting'. Another frequent error is shortening the /eɪ/ to a lax /e/ or /ɛ/. The /ŋ/ at the end should be clear; avoid releasing it as /ŋg/ or dropping the nasal entirely. Focus on maintaining /ˈteɪ/ then a crisp /st/ cluster before the nasal. Practice with minimal pairs to fix the /t/ and /s/ blend.
In US, the /t/ is often a clear alveolar stop; /ˈteɪstɪŋ/. In some UK varieties, a t-voicing or a light /t/ in flaps can occur, and /ɪ/ may be slightly shorter. Australian English tends toward a similar /ˈteɪstɪŋ/ with non-rhotic tendencies? Most often rhoticity is not a major factor for this word, but vowel quality of /eɪ/ and the duration of the /ɪ/ can vary slightly. Overall, stress remains on the first syllable; the final /ŋ/ remains velar nasal.
The difficulty lies in smoothly merging a cluster /st/ with the following /ɪŋ/ and sustaining a clean final nasal. The /eɪ/ vowel in the first syllable also demands a precise glide from /eɪ/ to /s/ without inserting an extra syllable or breaking into a diphthong elsewhere. Additionally, avoiding an intrusive schwa between /t/ and /s/ requires accurate timing and tongue control. Focus on keeping the /t/ and /s/ together without a stop or split.
In some fast speech contexts, speakers may produce a subtle assimilation where the /t/ becomes more dental or alveolar and the /s/ slightly devoices before the /t/ in rapid sequences. Knowing that, you can practice the sequence 'teas-ting' lightly; the goal is a smooth transition with no extra syllables.
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- US: Full /ˈteɪstɪŋ/ with clear /eɪ/ and a crisp /t/; rhotic differences do not affect this word; vowel length in the first syllable can be longer in careful speech. - UK: Sometimes a slightly longer /eɪ/ diphthong and a less pronounced /t/ in rapid speech; the /t/ can be realized as a flapped-like sound in some informal contexts; keep it crisp in slow practice. - AU: Similar to US/UK; watch for a more centralized /ɪ/ in the second syllable; the /eɪ/ may be slightly rounded; maintain the final /ŋ/ without vocalic intrusion. IPA references: /ˈteɪstɪŋ/ in all three accents.
The word tasting derives from the verb taste, which comes from Old French tasting (taste), from Latin gustare (to taste, to enjoy the flavor of). The root gust- relates to tasting and appetite; gustus in Latin means taste. Middle English borrowed tasting as a noun and verb form, integrating into culinary and sensory language. Over time, tasting broadened beyond mere flavor to include evaluative processes in wine, food, and perfumery, as well as figurative uses like “taste in music.” First known uses appear in Middle English texts where “tasting” described the act of perceiving flavor, aroma, or quality, gradually becoming a standard noun for a sampling event and a gerund form of taste as a verb. The evolution mirrors a growing culture of cuisine, gastronomy, and sensory science, where precise vocabulary for evaluation and specification in tasting notes became essential. Modern usage extends to medicine, branding, and consumer feedback, always tied to the sensory act of perceiving flavor or quality through the senses of taste and aroma.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tasting" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tasting"
-ing sounds
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