How to pronounce “emotionally”
Emotionally is pronounced /ɪˈmoʊʃnəliː/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — moʊʃ. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 4 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting moʊʃ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oOoo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“emotionally” sound by sound
“emotionally” is built out of 8 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
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ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
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mClose the lips, lower the soft palate and let the voiced air come out through the nose.
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oʊStart with mid-back, lightly rounded lips and glide toward /ʊ/, tightening the rounding as you finish.
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ʃPull the tongue slightly back from the /s/ position, spread the blade wide behind the ridge, round the lips a little, and push air through with no voice.
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nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
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lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Questions people ask about “emotionally”
- How do you pronounce “emotionally”?
- “emotionally” is pronounced /ɪˈmoʊʃnəliː/, with the stress on the second syllable (moʊʃ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “emotionally”?
- “emotionally” has 4 syllables: ɪ · moʊʃ · nə · liː. The stress pattern is oOoo.
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