tran-SFUR-uhns
/tɹænˈsfɝəns/
transference is pronounced tran-SFUR-uhns (/tɹænˈsfɝəns/). Transference refers to the act or process of transferring feelings, ideas, or qualities from one source to another, especially in psychology where emotions from a past relationship are redirected onto a present object or person. It also denotes the conveyance of rights, property, or responsibilities from one entity to another in legal or administrative contexts. The term implies a shift or projection rather than a literal transfer.
Transference refers to the act or process of transferring feelings, ideas, or qualities from one source to another, especially in psychology where emotions from a past relationship are redirected onto a present object or person. It also denotes the conveyance of rights, property, or responsibilities from one entity to another in legal or administrative contexts. The term implies a shift or projection rather than a literal transfer.
"Her transference of her affection onto a new partner surprised her friends."
"Therapists consider transference a key dynamic to understand in psychodynamic work."
"In the contract, the transference of obligations was clearly outlined and timing specified."
Pronounce as trænˈsfɜːrəns in US and UK; in IPA: /trænsˈfɜːrəns/. The stress falls on the second syllable: tran-SFERR-ance. Start with the /tr/ blend, then /æ/ as in cat, then an /n/ and /s/; the central syllable is /ˈfɜː/ with a rhotic schwa-like sound, and end with /rəns/ like 'rents' without the t. Keep the final -ce as a soft /s/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress on the first syllable (trans-FER-ence) or blending the r-sound too weakly. Another error is pronouncing the middle vowel as a pure /ɜ/ without the expected rhoticization in US speech, making it sound like /təˈfɜːrəns/ instead of /trænsˈfɜːrəns/. To correct: emphasize the /sf/ cluster and keep the /ɜː/ vowel compact and rhotic in American accents.
US tends to rhoticize the /ɜː/ in the stressed syllable, giving /trænsˈfɜːrəns/. UK often features a non-rhotic /ˈtrænsˌfɜːrəns/ with weaker r after non-stressed syllables, while AU tends to be rhotic but can soften /ɜː/ toward /əː/ in connected speech. Across all, the syllable boundaries remain clear: tran- /træn-/ then -sférence syllable, final -ce /s/.
Its difficulty stems from the consonant cluster /sf/ that follows the /n/ and the mid-central vowel /ɜː/ in stressed position, which can be unfamiliar for non-native speakers. The transition from /n/ to /s/ requires precise tongue-contact timing; the /ɜː/ vowel demands a relaxed jaw with slight rhotic coloring in rhotic accents. Mastery comes from slowing, isolating the syllables, and practicing the transition between /ns/ and /f/.
The sequence /nsˈfɜːr/ includes an unusual /ns/ blend followed by a stressed /fɜː/; many feel the /s/ and /f/ collide, causing a mini-closure with the tongue. Focus on keeping the tongue tip lightly behind the upper teeth for /n/ and /s/, then flatten slightly for /f/. Doing so prevents a muddy transition and preserves crisp syllable boundaries.
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Transference comes from the Latin prefix trans- meaning across, over, through, combined with ferre meaning to bear, carry. The root ferre yields many English derivatives such as transfer, ferry, ferrying. The noun form transference first appears in English in the late 16th to early 17th centuries, originally in philosophical and theological discourse to denote the act of carrying something across from one domain to another. By the 19th century, especially in psychology and law, the term broadened to denote the shifting of attitudes, duties, or psychological pressures from one person or situation to another. The word's morphology reflects stance and movement: the stem transfer plus -ence signals a process or state. The concept of projection through transference gained robust theoretical traction in psychodynamic traditions, notably in Freud’s early framework, where unresolved feelings toward figures such as parents are displaced onto therapists or other figures in the therapeutic setting. Modern usage spans clinical psychology, counseling, education, and legal contexts, preserving the core meaning of movement or conveyance from source to recipient while inheriting nuanced implications of responsibility, obligation, or emotional charge.
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Words that rhyme with "transference"
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