How to pronounce inchoative
Say it like in-KOH-uh-tiv. Inchoative has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inchoative. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- KOH
- uh
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inchoative pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- KOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of inchoative
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: in-KOH-uh-tiv.
What does inchoative mean?
- Initial; as yet unformed; inchoate.
- Aspectually indicating that a state is about to be entered or is in the process of being entered.
- In Catalan, being a member of a class of third-conjugation verbs (e.g. servir) in which a syllable -eix- (or otherwise depending on dialect), derived from the Latin inchoative but now without meaning, is inserted into certain conjugations (e.g. serveixo).
- An inchoative construction.
Where does inchoative come from?
Borrowed from Latin inchoātīvus, formed by metathesis from incohātīvus, from incohō (“to begin”).
Questions about saying inchoative
How do you pronounce inchoative?
Say in-KOH-uh-tiv. The American pronunciation is /ɪnˈkoʊətɪv/. In British English it is /ɪnˈkəʊətɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inchoative?
Inchoative has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KOH). Broken into parts: in · KOH · uh · tiv.
Is inchoative pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ɪnˈkəʊətɪv/ (in-KOH-uh-tiv).