How to Pronounce “deconstruction”

British (UK)

/diːkənˈstɹʌkʃən/

noun — A philosophical theory of textual criticism; a form of critical analysis that emphasizes inquiry into the variable projection of the meaning and message of critical works, the meaning in relation to the reader and the intended audience, and the assumptions implicit in the embodied forms of expression.

Where the stress falls. “deconstruction” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /diːkənˈstɹʌkʃən/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /diːkənˈstɹʌkʃən/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "deconstruction" mean?

deconstruction (noun): A philosophical theory of textual criticism; a form of critical analysis that emphasizes inquiry into the variable projection of the meaning and message of critical works, the meaning in relation to the reader and the intended audience, and the assumptions implicit in the embodied forms of expression.

Which syllable is stressed in "deconstruction"?

“deconstruction” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /diːkənˈstɹʌkʃən/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.