How To Pronounce Literal
literal
In British English, literal is pronounced /ˈlɪt.ər.əl/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈlɪt.ər.əɫ]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈlɪt.ə.rəl/.
Literal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first syllable. The British and American pronunciations are different, so listen to both.
Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.
Syllables, Stress And Endings
Syllables And Stress
Literal has three syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the first syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is Ooo, where O is the stressed syllable.
Questions About Literal
How do you pronounce literal in British English?
In British English, literal is pronounced /ˈlɪt.ər.əl/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈlɪt.ər.əɫ].
How do you pronounce literal in American English?
In American English, literal is pronounced /ˈlɪt.ə.rəl/.
How many syllables are in literal?
Literal has three syllables, /lɪt/ + /ər/ + /əl/.
Where is the stress in literal?
The main stress is on the first syllable, /lɪt/.
Do British and American English pronounce literal the same way?
No. British English has /ˈlɪt.ər.əl/ and American English has /ˈlɪt.ə.rəl/.
Other Words With The Stress Pattern Ooo
Nearby Words
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