3 syllables: Tik, kun O, lam. Stress on kun O.
tik-OON oh-LAHM
/tɪˈkuːn oʊˈlɑːm/
Tikkun Olam is pronounced tik-OON oh-LAHM (/tɪˈkuːn oʊˈlɑːm/). It has three syllables (Tik-kun O-lam), with the stress on "kun O". Tikkun Olam is a Jewish philosophical concept meaning “repairing the world.” It refers to humanity’s collective obligation to heal, repair, and improve society and the environment, often through acts of social justice, charity, and ethical action. Used as a guiding principle across communities, it emphasizes responsibility for global welfare and ethical conduct.
proper nounTikkun Olam is a Jewish philosophical concept meaning “repairing the world.” It refers to humanity’s collective obligation to heal, repair, and improve society and the environment, often through acts of social justice, charity, and ethical action. Used as a guiding principle across communities, it emphasizes responsibility for global welfare and ethical conduct.
How to Pronounce Tikkun Olam
"In many Jewish communities, Tikkun Olam motivates volunteers to help the less fortunate."
"She studied social work as part of her Tikkun Olam initiative, aiming to reduce inequality."
"The NGO’s mission aligns with Tikkun Olam by restoring communities after natural disasters."
- IPA: US ˈtɪ.kˌkuːn oˈlɑːm; UK ˈtɪk.kən ˈəʊ.læm; AU ˈtɪk.kən ˈɒ.læm. - Start with a crisp, short I in Tikkun, then a long oo in -kun; stress on the first syllable of the first word and on the first syllable of Olam. - Two distinct words: ‘Tikkun’ (tih-KOON) and ‘Olam’ (OH-lahm). Place your tongue high for the i, then glide into a longer u; round lips slightly for Olam’s o and keep m at the end. - Audio reference: listen to native speakers on Pronounce or Forvo for authentic Hebrew-ish vowels; aim for a clean, unglided transition between words.
- Mistake 1: Flattening vowels (tih-KOON becomes tih-KKONE). Correction: keep the -oon as a tense, rounded long U; ensure /uː/ is long. - Mistake 2: Dropping the second syllable’s stress (OL-am said softly). Correction: stress OL- in Olam to mark the two-syllable nature of the second word. - Mistake 3: Slurring the boundary between words (TikkunOlam). Correction: pause slightly between words: Tikkun • Olam. - Mistake 4: Misplacing Hebrew vowel quality (i vs ɪ; a in 'Olam' becomes æ). Correction: use short i in Tikkun, long o in Olam’s initial syllable, and broad a in am.
- US: rhotic /ɹ/ influences surrounding vowels less; clear /tɪˈkun/ with stress on second syllable of first word; Olam begins with an open O. - UK: may render Tikkun as /ˈtɪk.kən/ with shorter i and reduced vowel in -kun; Olam as /ˈəʊ.læm/ with a more open /æ/ in the second syllable. - AU: similar to UK, but with broader Australian vowels; Olam may sound closer to /ˈɒ.læm/ with a more centralized /ɒ/; maintain two-word rhythm and slightly flatter intonation. - Across all, the main differences are vowel quality and rhoticity; keep the two-word boundary clear and avoid turning it into a single, long phrase.
- Hebrew vowel usage is not intuitive for many English speakers; the contrast between i (short) and ɪ, and the long u in -kun requires mindful vowel length. - The two-word structure demands an exact boundary and slightly different vowel shapes (Olam’s o vs a in am). - The final m needs a clear closure in a syllable-final position; trailing nasal can blur the phrase. - Non-native speakers may over-clarify or allow vowel reduction in Olam; keep a crisp, even mouth shape.
- There are no silent letters in Tikkun Olam; both words are pronounced with clear consonant and vowel sounds. - Stress pattern: TIKkun OHlam; main stress on the first syllable of the first word (TIK-), secondary emphasis on OL- in Olam, creating a natural two-beat rhythm. - The phrase’s rhythm is two-beat in each word, with the most prominent beat on the first syllable of Tikkun and Olam’s initial syllable. - Mouth positions: for Tikkun, lips slightly spread for i, then rounded for u; for Olam, lips neutral to rounded for o, jaw lowered for æ-like a. - Overall, the phrase is brisk, not heavily stressed, and benefits from a slight, perceptible pause between words.
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US: rhotics are more pronounced; vowels are generally rounded and clear; Tikkun ends with /kun/ where u is /uː/; Olam starts with /o/ and is followed by /læm/. UK: more clipped vowels; Tikkun may sound like /ˈtɪk.kən/; Olam /ˈəʊ.læm/. AU: broader vowels; Tikkun /ˈtɪk.kən/; Olam /ˈɒ.læm/; vowels are more centralized; rhythm remains two-beat with a slight rise after Olam.
Tikkun Olam comes from Hebrew, formed by two elements: tikkun (repair, restoration) and olam (world, universe). The term appears in post-biblical Jewish rabbinic literature and later Kabbalistic and modern ethical writings. Tikkun itself derives from the Hebrew verb tikku, meaning to mend or repair, with the noun form tikkun. Olam originates from the root alam, indicating permanence or eternity in Biblical Hebrew, and often implies the world or era. Historically, the phrase gained prominence during the early modern period as Jewish thinkers wrestled with social responsibility; in the 20th century, human rights and social justice movements imbued it with broader secular resonance. It is frequently invoked in Jewish thought to emphasize collective action to repair societal wrongs, address poverty, inequality, and environmental harm, and to cultivate ethical behavior as a communal enterprise. First known printed uses appear in mid-20th century Jewish theological writings and liturgy, while oral usage predates them, passed through generations in community dialogues and education. Today, Tikkun Olam is widely used in synagogues, universities, NGOs, and interfaith conversations as a succinct encapsulation of active, ongoing ethical work.
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