How to pronounce postmodernism
Say it like pohst-MOD-er-nih-zum. Postmodernism has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MOD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce postmodernism. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pohst
- MOD
- er
- nih
- zum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Postmodernism pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pohstKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- MODSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- nihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- zumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of postmodernism
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: pohst-MOD-uh-nih-zum.
What does postmodernism mean?
- Any style in art, architecture, literature, philosophy, etc., that reacts against an earlier modernist movement.
- An attitude of skepticism or irony toward modernist ideologies, often questioning the assumptions of Enlightenment rationality and rejecting the idea of objective truth.
Where does postmodernism come from?
From post- + modernism.
Questions about saying postmodernism
How do you pronounce postmodernism?
Say pohst-MOD-er-nih-zum. The American pronunciation is /poʊstˈmɑdɚnɪzəm/. In British English it is /pəʊstˈmɒdənɪzəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in postmodernism?
Postmodernism has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MOD). Broken into parts: pohst · MOD · er · nih · zum.
Is postmodernism pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /pəʊstˈmɒdənɪzəm/ (pohst-MOD-uh-nih-zum).