voh-LISH-uhn
/voʊˈlɪʃən/
volition is pronounced voh-LISH-uhn (/voʊˈlɪʃən/). Volition refers to the act or power of making a conscious choice or decision. It denotes deliberate will or intent, often in the context of exercising personal agency. In discourse, it highlights the speaker’s volitional action rather than external compulsion.
Volition refers to the act or power of making a conscious choice or decision. It denotes deliberate will or intent, often in the context of exercising personal agency. In discourse, it highlights the speaker’s volitional action rather than external compulsion.
"Her decision to enroll in the program was a matter of volition, not coercion."
"The athlete trained with unwavering volition, determined to break the record."
"He acted with quiet volition, choosing diplomacy over confrontation."
Pronounce it as /vəˈlɪʃ.ən/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: vo-LI-tion. Start with a light 'uh' vowel, then a clear 'li' as in 'little,' and end with a soft, unstressed 'shun' sound. Lip position: relaxed lips, with the tongue slightly raised for the 'l' and 'ɪ' vowels. IPA guidance helps ensure accuracy across dialects.
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting it on the first syllable) and mispronouncing the 'ti' as /ti/ or /sə/ instead of /ʃ.ən/. To correct: ensure primary stress on the second syllable: vo-LI-tion, use a 'ʃ' sound for the 'ti' before '-on' and finish with an unstressed 'ən.' Practice saying 'will' + 'ish' blend quickly to capture the subtle /ʃ/ and the schwa in the final syllable.
Across US, UK, and AU, the pronunciation remains /vəˈlɪʃ.ən/ with the same syllable emphasis, but vowel quality can shift slightly. US speakers often have a clearer /ə/ in the first syllable and a sharper /ɪ/ in the second syllable; UK and AU may show more centralized vowels in the first syllable and a softer /ə/ in the final syllable. The rhoticity in US accents won’t affect this word much since it ends with a weak final vowel rather than an /r/."
The challenge lies in the 'li' cluster followed by the /ʃ/ sound, which isn't present in all languages. The transition from the stressed /ˈlɪ/ to the /ʃ/ requires precise tongue positioning: the blade of the tongue approaches the palate for the /ʃ/, while the vowel quality in 'li' remains short. The final unstressed /ən/ can sound like 'n' if not fully reduced. Practice gradual emphasis on the stressed syllable and the 'sh' quality.
The key unique aspect is the 'ti' before '-on' that yields a /ʃ/ sound rather than a hard /t/ or /s/. This palatalized fricative blends into the final schwa-n, so you should avoid a clipped 't' and instead produce a smooth /ʃən/. It’s also important to keep the second syllable stressed without diluting the /ɪ/ quality. Focus on the transition from /l/ to /ʃ/ to ensure a natural flow.
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US vs UK vs AU: • US: rhoticity is present overall; the /r/ is not in this word, but the first syllable often has a more pronounced schwa and the second syllable /ɪ/ can be slightly tenser. • UK: slightly shorter first vowel; the /ɪ/ in the second syllable may be a bit more centralized; keep the /ʃ/ intact without weakening. • AU: vowel quality tends to be similar to US but with a more open jaw in some speakers; ensure the /ə/ in the first syllable remains light and the /ɪ/ in the second is clear. IPA references: /vəˈlɪʃ.ən/ across dialects; keep the /ʃ/ sound strong and avoid a /tʃ/ blend.
Volition comes from the Latin voluntas, meaning 'will, wish, or inclination,' built from volere 'to wish, to want' plus -ion indicating action or condition. The root vol-, referring to willing or wishing, appears in English in the 16th century via French influence, aligning with related terms like voluntary and volunteer. Early uses connect volition to the exercise of will in moral and legal contexts, later expanding into psychology and philosophy as scholars debated human agency and conscious choice. In classical philosophy, volition described deliberate intention behind actions, distinct from instinct or compulsion. Over time, English speakers adopted the noun to emphasize the cognitive act of forming an intention that precedes action, and in modern discourse it often appears in clinical, legal, and literary contexts to discuss autonomy, self-determination, and the dynamics of choice. First known uses surface in legal and philosophical writings of the Renaissance, with broader literary and scientific adoption by the 18th and 19th centuries as the concept of free will and personal sovereignty gained prominence.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "volition" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "volition"
-ion sounds
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