overpronounce
Verb: - To pronounce a word or sound with exaggerated clarity or emphasis: "overpronounce" means to articulate a word or phonetic element more distinctly or forcefully than is typical in natural speech, often to the point of sounding unnatural or affected.
- (She articulates the endings with excessive care.)
- (He spoke with exaggerated clarity.)
- (You articulate too carefully because you are not yet comfortable.)
"to overpronounce for effect": to deliberately exaggerate pronunciation for emphasis or theatricality.
- In the comedy sketch, the comedian overpronounced the name "Elizabeth" to mock formal introductions. (He exaggerated the pronunciation for humorous effect.)
"to overpronounce a phoneme": to give excessive prominence to a specific sound within a word.
- Non-native speakers often overpronounce the /r/ sound in English, making it too harsh. (They articulate the /r/ with more force than necessary.)
Overpronunciation (noun): the act or result of overpronouncing.
- His overpronunciation of the word "schedule" gave away his non-native origins. (The exaggerated articulation was noticeable.)
Overpronounced (adjective): characterized by exaggerated pronunciation.
- The overpronounced vowels in her speech sounded artificial. (The vowels were articulated too clearly.)
Pronounce (verb): to articulate a word or sound in a standard or accepted way.
- Can you pronounce this word correctly? (Say it in the usual manner.)
- Overarticulate: to speak with excessive clarity.
- She overarticulates each syllable, which can be tiresome. (She pronounces too distinctly.)
- Hyperarticulate: to articulate with exaggerated precision.
- The teacher hyperarticulates to help students hear the sounds. (She uses extreme clarity.)
To spell it out: to explain or pronounce something extremely clearly.
- He had to spell it out for the audience, overpronouncing each letter. (He made every sound unmistakable.)
To put on airs: to behave in an affected or exaggerated way, often including overpronunciation.
- She puts on airs by overpronouncing simple words. (She acts pretentiously through speech.)