How to pronounce postpositive
Say it like pohst-POZ-ih-tiv. Postpositive has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POZ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce postpositive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pohst
- POZ
- ih
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Postpositive 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.
- POZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of postpositive
- 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".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: pohst-POZ-ih-tiv.
What does postpositive mean?
- Placed after the word modified, either immediately after, as in two men abreast, or as part of a complement, as in those two men are bad.
- A postpositive modifier.
Where does postpositive come from?
From post- + positive.
Questions about saying postpositive
How do you pronounce postpositive?
Say pohst-POZ-ih-tiv. The American pronunciation is /poʊstˈpɑzɪtɪv/. In British English it is /pəʊstˈpɒzɪtɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in postpositive?
Postpositive has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POZ). Broken into parts: pohst · POZ · ih · tiv.
Is postpositive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /pəʊstˈpɒzɪtɪv/ (pohst-POZ-ih-tiv).