TEL-urz
/ˈtɛlɚz/
tellers is pronounced TEL-urz (/ˈtɛlɚz/). Tellers is the plural noun for a person who tells, or someone who tells stories or information, typically in a professional context (as in bank tellers or storytellers). It also denotes multiple individuals who convey messages or narratives. The pronunciation emphasizes a crisp /ˈtɛlərz/ in most dialects, with plural sibilant voicing. Overall, it identifies people who perform telling actions, either factual or fictional.
Tellers is the plural noun for a person who tells, or someone who tells stories or information, typically in a professional context (as in bank tellers or storytellers). It also denotes multiple individuals who convey messages or narratives. The pronunciation emphasizes a crisp /ˈtɛlərz/ in most dialects, with plural sibilant voicing. Overall, it identifies people who perform telling actions, either factual or fictional.
- Focus on two challenges: nailing the /t/ release and the /ɚ/ vowel in the second syllable. If you over-deepen the second vowel, you’ll create a staccato feeling instead of a smooth /ɚ/. - Common pitfall: pronouncing the final /z/ too softly or not voicing it; you should feel a light vibration at your lips. - Don’t race the word; hold the /l/ briefly to avoid a flat onset and keep the final /z/ clear. - Tip: practice with rapid linking in phrases like 'bank tellers' and 'tellers who' to mimic natural pronunciation in sentences.
"The tellers at the bank processed my withdrawal quickly."
"Storytellers and tellers alike held the audience's attention with vivid detail."
"Several tellers reported suspicious activity to the supervisor."
Say tell-ers with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈtɛl.ɚz/ in US and UK dictionaries. The first syllable uses a short open-front vowel as in 'bet,' followed by an unstressed schwa in many American accents. The final -ers ends with a voiced z, not s; keep the tongue close to the ridge behind the upper teeth for /ɚ/ in rhotic accents, or a lighter /ə/ in non-rhotic contexts. Audio resources: Cambridge, Oxford, and your pronunciation apps provide native samples you can mirror.
Common mistakes: slurring the second syllable or turning /ˈtɛl.ɚz/ into /ˈtɛləz/ with a reduced second vowel; mispronouncing /ɚ/ as /ɜːr/ or /ɪ/; adding an extra syllable like /ˈtɛl.ə.lɚz/. Correction: keep the second syllable short and unstressed, use a quick, reduced /ɚ/ or /ə/ without adding vowel length, and ensure final /z/ is voiced. Practice by isolating the first syllable /tɛl/ and then lightly introducing /ɚ/ before the /z/.
In US English, /ˈtɛl.ɚz/ with a rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable and final /z/ voiced. UK English tends to be /ˈtɛl.əz/ or /ˈtel.əz/, with a shorter or less r-colored second vowel and sometimes a more pronounced schwa before z; non-rhotic varieties may devoice the second syllable slightly. Australian English usually mirrors US with /ˈtɛl.əz/ and a clearly audible /z/; some speakers show a slightly stronger initial /t/ release. Always compare to a native speaker sample for precise tension.
The difficulty lies in balancing the cluster between /l/ and /ɚ/ in the second syllable and producing a natural, voiced /z/ without overemphasizing the vowel. The mid-central vowel /ɚ/ can be tricky for non-rhotic speakers, who may default to /ə/ and miss the rhotic color. Additionally, final /z/ requires voicing and breath control to avoid devoicing. Practicing with minimal pairs and IPA-focused drills helps you anchor both the vowel color and voicing.
Is there a silent element in 'tellers'? No; all letters participate in pronunciation. The stress falls on the first syllable /ˈtɛl/ and both syllables are enunciated, with the second syllable reduced in many accents to a short /ɚ/ or /ə/ before the final /z/. The word surfaces as a clear two-syllable unit in careful speech, and a three-part rhythm in rapid, connected speech—tEL-ers with a quick, light second vowel. IPA cues align with /ˈtɛl.ɚz/ in American English.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /ɚ/ and keep /t/ aspirated; the second syllable has a relaxed, colored vowel. - UK: the /ɚ/ may become a schwa-like /ə/ with less rhotic coloring; final /z/ may be slightly devoiced in careful speech. - AU: typically US-like rhotic pattern with clear /z/; some speakers reduce the second vowel less, producing /ˈtɛlːəz/ in fast speech. Use IPA to calibrate differences and mirror native samples. - Reference IPA conventions to maintain accuracy across dialects, and practise with minimal pairs contrasting /ɚ/ vs /ə/ and /z/ vs /s/ endings.
Tellers derives from the verb tell, from Old English tellan, related to German zählen (‘to count’ or tell stories) and Dutch tellen. The noun tellere or teller appeared in Middle English as someone who tells or relates something, often a person who narrates or reports. The plural form tellers emerged to denote more than one person who performs telling actions, whether as narrators, financial tellers (bank staff), or informants. In banking, teller notes and teller windows reflect the occupation’s practical, service-oriented sense; in storytelling or reporting, the term preserves the verb’s sense of conveying information or narratives. Over time, the word adopted specialized senses (bank tellers, tellers of tales) while retaining the general meaning of “one who tells.” First known usage as a noun related to telling can be traced to the late Middle English period, with evolving spellings and meanings parallel to the broader verb-to-noun nominalization pattern in English. The shift from the abstract act of telling to the specific occupations reflects social and economic changes where professionals specialized in conveying information—whether money transactions or stories—emphasizing communicative function. The plural form attest to multiple individuals fulfilling such roles.
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Words that rhyme with "tellers"
-ers sounds
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