The pronunciation of "knowledge" can vary slightly depending on your accent, but here's a breakdown for standard American and British English:
American English:
Syllables: 2. Know-ledge.
Stress: The first syllable ("know") is slightly stressed.
Vowels:
"Know": oh as in "bone" or "no".
"Ledge": ij as in "bridge" or "hi".
Example: "She gained a wealth of knowledge through her travels."
British English:
Syllables: 2. Nol-idge.
Stress: Similar to American English, the first syllable is slightly stressed.
Vowels:
"Nol": ah as in "father" or "hot".
"idge": ij as in "bridge" or "hi".
Example: "He expanded his knowledge of Shakespearean literature."
General Pronunciation:
Two syllables: "NOL-ij"
Stress on the first syllable: "NOL-idge" (more common in American English)
Stress on the second syllable: "know-LEDGE" (more common in British English)
Sound breakdown:
NOL: Similar to the "o" in "gone" or "bone" (short vowel sound)
ij: Similar to the "i" in "bite" or "high" (long vowel sound)
dge: Soft "g" sound, like in "judge" or "ledge"
Tips for accurate pronunciation:
Break the word down into syllables and say them slowly at first.
Exaggerate the vowel sounds slightly to get the hang of it.
Listen to native speakers saying the word in recordings or videos.
Record yourself saying the word and compare it to how native speakers say it.
Practice saying the word in full sentences to get comfortable with the pronunciation in context.
Additional resources:
You can find audio recordings of "knowledge" being pronounced in various accents online, such as on dictionary websites or YouTube videos.
Some online dictionaries and language learning apps also offer pronunciation guides with visual representations of mouth movements.
Here are some additional resources that can help you with pronunciation:
- Audio recordings: You can find recordings of native speakers saying "knowledge" on online dictionaries like Merriam-Webster.
- Pronunciation videos: YouTube channels like Pronunciation Academy and English with Julien have dedicated videos on pronouncing "knowledge."
- Online tools: Websites like Forvo allow you to hear pronunciations of words in different languages and accents.
Ultimately, the most important thing is to practice and listen to how native speakers pronounce the word. Don't hesitate to repeat after them and focus on the vowel sounds and syllable stress.
