TEL-uh-gram
/ˈtɛləˌɡɹæm/
telegram is pronounced TEL-uh-gram (/ˈtɛləˌɡɹæm/). Telegram refers to a message transmitted by telegraph, historically sent over long distances using electrical signals. It designates both the system for sending such messages and the actual text delivered. In modern usage, it often denotes a brief, formal note or announcement received electronically, but the term retains its classic sense of rapid, written communication.
Telegram refers to a message transmitted by telegraph, historically sent over long distances using electrical signals. It designates both the system for sending such messages and the actual text delivered. In modern usage, it often denotes a brief, formal note or announcement received electronically, but the term retains its classic sense of rapid, written communication.
- You might swallow or slur the middle vowel, turning TEL-i-gram into TEL-gram. Focus on keeping /ɪ/ crisp and avoiding vowel dumping before /ɡ/. - Another pitfall is weakening the final /ɡræm/ to a dull /-gram/; ensure you release /g/ firmly and finish with a crisp /ræm/. - Some learners mispronounce the first syllable as ‘tee-’ or ‘tel-’ with an elongated vowel; practice with a short /ɛ/ as in ‘let’.
"I received a telegram from the company confirming my appointment."
"During the 19th century, people relied on the telegram to send urgent news across continents."
"She sent a telegram to announce the winner of the prize."
You say /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡræm/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable: TEL-i-gram. In UK English, it’s typically /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/ with similar stress, and Australians often keep /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/ but may have slightly flatter vowels. Focus on a crisp first syllable, a short i, and a sharp final ‘gram’ ending. IPA guidance: US /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡræm/, UK /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/, AU /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/.”,
Common errors include misplacing stress (say ‘te-LE-gram’ instead of TEL-i-gram), vowel length or quality (pronouncing the first vowel as “ee” in ‘te’ instead of a short ‘e’), and blending the final syllable too loosely (not forming a clear ‘-gram’ with a hard ‘g’). Correct by ensuring strong primary stress on the first syllable, using a short ‘e’ as in ‘let’, and finishing with a crisp ‘g’ and ‘ram’.”,
US tends to have a slightly shorter, crisper US vowel in the first syllable and a clean /ɡræm/ ending. UK English maintains the same stress pattern but may have a slightly longer vowel in the first syllable and a non-rhotic tendency in connected speech, though ‘telegram’ is often fully rhotic in careful speech. Australian tends to be closer to General UK/US merges, with a mid-to-front vowel in the first syllable and a clear, clipped ending. IPA: US /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡræm/, UK /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/, AU /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/.
The difficulty often lies in the short, precise vowel in the first syllable and the rapid transition to a strong, blunt final syllable. The sequence /-əl.i-ɡræm/ requires keeping the first vowel short and avoiding a drawled 'tele-'. Additionally, the /ɡ/ in -gram must be released clearly, not softened to /-gram/ or /-gramə/. Mastery comes from crisp onset clarity and a tight coda. IPA cues: /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡræm/.
A distinctive feature is the strong, clipped first syllable with a sharp onset and a compact second half. The word is trochaic in stress (strong-weak: TEL-i-gram), which makes it feel brisk and formal. Some speakers may reduce the middle vowel slightly in fast speech, but careful pronunciation preserves /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡræm/ with clear /l/ and /ɡ/ sounds.
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- US: emphasize the short ‘e’ in TEL, keep the /l/ clear, and finish with a hard /g/; stress on the first syllable (ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡræm). Vowel quality: /tɛl/ as in ‘tell’, /ɪ/ as in ‘kit’, not a long ‘ee’. - UK: similar to US, but some speakers may have a slightly longer /e/ in the first vowel and a less rhotic influence in connected speech. - AU: tends toward a flatter vowel space; keep /tɛl/ clear, /ɪ/ as in ‘kit’, and a crisp /ɡræm/. IPA references apply: /ˈtel.ɪ.ɡræm/.
Telegram comes from the Greek tele- ‘far’ and -gramma ‘something written’ (from Greek gramma, ‘letter, thing written’). The tele- prefix indicates distance, and the -gram/-gramma suffix signals a written message or recording. The concept emerged in the 19th century with the advent of the electric telegraph; early forms used signaling alphabet dots and dashes to convey text. The word telegram first appeared in English in the early to mid-1830s as tele- + gramma, aligning with other telegraphic terms such as telegramic and telegraph. As telegraphy evolved, telegrams became standardized, terse messages, often ending with a signature. With the telephone and then the internet, the literal telegram declined but the term persisted in phrases like “telegram message” or as a brand name (e.g., the messaging app Telegram). First known usage is documented in English-language technical literature from the 1830s, with popularization during the mid-to-late 1800s as telegraph networks expanded globally and the need for rapid, written communication grew.
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Words that rhyme with "telegram"
-ram sounds
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