English pronunciation · Words Starting with S
Southern Pronunciation
Southern is pronounced SUH-dhern, IPA /ˈsəðɝn/.
SUH-dhern
US /ˈsəðɝn/ · UK /ˈsʌðən/
Syllables: SUH · dhern (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective: Lying in or coming from the south.
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Southern in a Sentence
- The southern half of the country stayed dry.
- She has a soft southern accent.
- Southern Italy was hotter than we expected.
Common Mispronunciations of Southern
Not SOWTH-ern
The vowel shortens to the uh of cup once the ending is added, so the adjective does not rhyme with the noun south.
Not SUH-thern
The th is voiced, the buzzing one of the and mother, rather than the airy th of thin.
Tip: North and northern keep the same vowel, but south and southern do not. The pair joins other and mother in that soft uh.
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