How to pronounce syncopation
Say it like SING-kuh-pay-shun. Syncopation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce syncopation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SING
- kuh
- pay
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Syncopation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- payGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of syncopation
American and British speakers say syncopation in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪʃən/ in the US and /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: SING-kuh-pay-shun.
What does syncopation mean?
- The contraction of a word by means of loss or omission of sounds or syllables in the middle thereof.
- The quality of a rhythm being somehow unexpected, in that it deviates from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak beats in a meter.
Where does syncopation come from?
From syncopate + -ion.
Questions about saying syncopation
How do you pronounce syncopation?
Say SING-kuh-pay-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in syncopation?
Syncopation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SING). Broken into parts: SING · kuh · pay · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say syncopation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.