Learn How to Pronounce melancholic
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How to pronounce:
melancholic
Definition:
(nou) a feeling of thoughtful sadness (nou) a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed (nou) a humor that was once believed to be secreted by the kidneys or spleen and to cause sadness and melancholy
Phonetic Transcription:
ˈmeləŋkɒli
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How to perfect your pronunciation of: melancholic
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Common mistakes of melancholic pronunciation
- Stress misplacement: Many people incorrectly stress the second syllable, saying "mel-an-ˈcholic". The correct stress is on the third syllable: "mel-an-ˌˈcholic". Tip: Remember to emphasize the "cholic" part.
- Vowel confusion: Some mispronounce "melancholic" by using a short "e" sound, as in "met". The correct sound is a long "e" as in "me": /ˌmɛl.ənˈkɒl.ɪk/ (UK) or /ˌmɛl.ənˈkɑː.lɪk/ (US). Tip: Practice saying "mel-an" with a clear long "e".
- Incorrect "c" sound: A common mistake is pronouncing the "c" in "melancholic" as a hard "k" instead of a soft "ch". The correct pronunciation is /ˈkɒl/ (UK) or /ˈkɑːl/ (US). Tip: Think of "ch" in "chocolate" for guidance.
- Overemphasizing syllables: Some speakers may overly stress the first syllable, saying "ˈmel" instead of the correct "mel-an-ˌˈcholic". This can make the word sound choppy. Tip: Keep the first syllable light and focus on the flow.
- Skipping syllables: A frequent error is omitting the middle syllable, pronouncing it as "melan-cholic". The word should be fully articulated as "mel-an-ˌˈcholic". Tip: Break it down into three syllables to improve clarity.