3 Simple Steps to Pronounce Caricature Flawlessly

How to pronounce caricature? It’s a word that can trip up even the most seasoned speakers. The tricky part is the “i.” Do you pronounce it like the “i” in “sit” or the “i” in “five”? The answer is…it depends. The word “caricature” has two acceptable pronunciations. You can say it with a short “i” sound, like in “sit,” or with a long “i” sound, like in “five.” Both pronunciations are correct, so it’s up to you to decide which one you prefer. However, there is one situation where you should definitely use the long “i” sound. If you’re talking about the famous French magazine *Charlie Hebdo*, which was the target of a terrorist attack in 2015, you should pronounce “caricature” with the long “i” sound. This is because the magazine’s name is a play on the words “Charlie” and “Hebdo” (which means “weekly” in French). So, if you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about, make sure to pronounce “caricature” with the long “i” sound when discussing *Charlie Hebdo*.

Now that you know how to pronounce “caricature,” you can use it confidently in your conversations. Just remember, there are two acceptable pronunciations, so you can choose the one that you prefer. And if you’re talking about *Charlie Hebdo*, be sure to use the long “i” sound.

The word “caricature” comes from the Italian word “caricare,” which means “to load” or “to exaggerate.” This is a fitting origin, as caricatures are often exaggerated or distorted portraits of people. Caricatures can be used for humor, satire, or even political commentary. Some of the most famous caricaturists include Leonardo da Vinci, Honore Daumier, and James Gillray. Today, caricatures can be found in newspapers, magazines, and even on social media.

The Basic Rules of Caricature Pronunciation

Syllable Stress

In English, the stress of a word is usually placed on a particular syllable. This is especially true for words with multiple syllables. In the case of “caricature,” the stress is placed on the second syllable, “ca.” This means that the first syllable, “car,” is pronounced with a softer emphasis.

Pronunciation of Individual Sounds

The pronunciation of individual sounds in “caricature” follows the general rules of English pronunciation:

“c” is pronounced as /k/ as in “cat”
“a” is pronounced as /æ/ as in “bad”
“r” is pronounced as /r/ as in “run”
“i” is pronounced as /ɪ/ as in “bit”
“c” is pronounced as /k/ as in “cat”
“a” is pronounced as /ə/ as in “sofa”
“t” is pronounced as /t/ as in “top”
“u” is pronounced as /ʊ/ as in “put”
“r” is pronounced as /r/ as in “run”
“e” is pronounced as /ɛ/ as in “bed”

Common Mistakes

There are some common mistakes that people make when pronouncing “caricature.” These mistakes include:

Incorrect	Correct
“care-a-car-ture”	“car-i-ca-ture”
“car-ic-a-ture”	“car-i-ca-ture”
“car-i-ca-ture”	“car-i-ca-ture”

The Silent “E” in Caricature

The silent “e” in “caricature” is a common source of pronunciation errors. Here’s how to get it right:

1. The Letter “E”

The letter “e” at the end of “caricature” is silent. This means that it is not pronounced when you say the word.

2. The Pronunciation

The correct pronunciation of “caricature” is “KAR-i-ka-cher.” The stress is on the first syllable.

3. Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to the rule that the final “e” in “caricature” is silent. These exceptions are when the word is used as a verb, a noun, or an adjective.

When “caricature” is used as a verb, the final “e” is pronounced. For example, you would say “The artist caricatured the politician.”

Word	Pronunciation
Caricature (noun)	KAR-i-ka-cher
Caricature (verb)	KAR-i-ka-chur
Caricature (adjective)	KAR-i-ka-cher-ous

When “caricature” is used as a noun or an adjective, the final “e” is silent. For example, you would say “The politician’s caricature was spot on.” or “The caricature was ridiculously exaggerated.”

The Stress in Caricature

In the English language, the stress in the word “caricature” falls on the second syllable. This means that the emphasis is placed on the “a” in “car.” Here’s a breakdown of the pronunciation:

The first syllable, “car,” is pronounced with a schwa sound, represented by the symbol ə. It is a brief, unstressed vowel sound that is common in English.
The second syllable, “i,” is pronounced with the long “i” sound, as in the word “bite.”
The third syllable, “ca,” is pronounced with the short “i” sound, as in the word “bit.”
The final syllable, “ture,” is pronounced with the “ur” sound, as in the word “burn.”

Tips for Pronouncing the Stress in “Caricature”

Here are a few tips to help you pronounce the word “caricature” correctly:

Dos

Don’ts

Emphasize the second syllable, “a.”

Pronounce the first syllable with a schwa sound.

Don’t stress the first syllable.

Don’t pronounce the third syllable with a long “i” sound.

Variations in Pronunciation

In some dialects of English, the stress in “caricature” may vary. For example, in some Southern dialects, the stress may be placed on the third syllable, resulting in a pronunciation like “caricuh-chur.” However, the most common pronunciation is with the stress on the second syllable.

Pronouncing the “C”

The “c” in “caricature” is pronounced as the “k” sound, as in the word “kite”.

Pronouncing the “A”

The “a” in “caricature” is pronounced as the “a” sound in the word “cat”.

Pronouncing the “R”

The “r” in “caricature” is pronounced as a rolled “r” sound. To make this sound, place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth and vibrate it. You can practice this sound by saying the word “rrrr”.

Pronouncing the “I”

The “i” in “caricature” is pronounced as the “i” sound in the word “sit”.

Pronouncing the “T”

The “t” in “caricature” is pronounced as the “t” sound in the word “top”.

Pronouncing the “U”

The “u” in “caricature” is pronounced as the “u” sound in the word “put”.

Pronouncing the “R” in Caricature

Here are some tips for pronouncing the rolled “r” sound:

Start by practicing the sound in isolation, without any other words.
Once you can pronounce the sound correctly, try saying it in words.
Be patient and don’t give up! It may take some time to master the rolled “r” sound.

Example	Pronunciation
Caricature	/ˈkærəkəˌtʃʊə/
Caricaturist	/ˈkærəkəˌtʃərɪst/

The Final “E” in Caricature

The final “e” in “caricature” is silent. This is because the word is derived from the Italian word “caricare,” which means “to load” or “to exaggerate.” The “e” at the end of the Italian word is pronounced, but it is silent in English. Here is a table summarizing the pronunciation of the final “e” in “caricature”:

Pronunciation	Example
/ˈkærɪkətʃər/	caricature
/ˈkærɪkədʒər/	caricatured
/ˈkærɪkətʃərɪŋ/	caricaturing

When the final “e” in “caricature” is pronounced, it is usually pronounced as a schwa (/ə/). The schwa is a neutral vowel sound that is often used in unstressed syllables. In the case of “caricature,” the final “e” is unstressed, so it is pronounced as a schwa.

The final “e” in “caricature” can also be pronounced as a full vowel sound, such as /i/ or /e/. However, this pronunciation is less common.

How To Pronounce Caricature

The word “caricature” is pronounced with a soft “c” sound, like in the word “city”. The stress is on the second syllable, so it sounds like “car-i-ca-ture”.

Here are some tips for pronouncing “caricature” correctly:

Say the word slowly and deliberately at first, so that you can feel the placement of your tongue and lips.
Pay attention to the soft “c” sound. Make sure that you are not pronouncing it like a hard “c”, as in the word “cat”.
Stress the second syllable. This will help to give the word its correct pronunciation.