emphatic
/ɪmˈfætɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈfætɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈfa-tik em-/ (ame, mw)
emphatic — adjective
- emphaticpositive
- more emphaticcomparative
- most emphaticsuperlative
1. Said or done in a forceful, clear way that leaves others in no doubt about what
Said or done in a forceful, clear way that leaves others in no doubt about what you mean or feel.
Mei-Lin was emphatic that she would not accept the job offer.
be emphatic + that-clause for stating a clear refusal
The mayor gave an emphatic 'no' to the proposal for a new shopping centre.
emphatic used before a single-word answer (no/yes)
Kwame's emphatic speech persuaded the committee to change their minds.
The company issued an emphatic denial of all the rumours about a merger.
Sofia was emphatic about finishing the project before the deadline.
- forceful
similar meaning but can describe actions or arguments as well as speech
- vehement
stronger emotional intensity, often implying anger or passion
- unequivocal
focuses on leaving no doubt; more formal and less emotional than emphatic
- insistent
suggests repeating the point, not just stating it forcefully once
文法句型
be emphatic + that-clause
be emphatic + about + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Often used in reporting speech or reactions. Common collocates include denial, refusal, statement, reply, rejection, and yes/no as a single-word answer.
常見錯誤
2. Pronounced with more force or extra breath than the surrounding sounds in a word
Pronounced with more force or extra breath than the surrounding sounds in a word, so that it stands out to the listener.
In the English word 'rebound', the second syllable is emphatic.
emphatic describing a specific syllable in a word
Jae-won changed the emphatic stress in 'I did not take the book' and heard four different meanings.
emphatic stress on different words changes sentence meaning
Elena learned to place emphatic stress on the correct syllable when speaking Spanish.
The emphatic pronunciation of the word 'never' made Osei's refusal sound even stronger.
Teachers often mark emphatic syllables with a small line above the vowel.
- unstressed
pronounced with less force
- weak
referring to a reduced vowel or soft pronunciation
文法句型
emphatic + noun (syllable, stress, pronunciation)
用法筆記
Primarily used as a technical term in phonetics and language teaching. Equivalent to stressed or accented in ordinary explanations.
常見錯誤
3. In languages such as Arabic and Hebrew, referring to a consonant sound produced
In languages such as Arabic and Hebrew, referring to a consonant sound produced with a narrowing at the back of the throat, which gives it a fuller, deeper quality compared to other similar sounds.
Arabic has several emphatic consonants that are hard for English speakers to pronounce correctly.
emphatic consonant in a Semitic language context
The Arabic letter 'ṣād' represents an emphatic consonant produced further back in the mouth.
Fatima's pronunciation of emphatic consonants improved after months of work with a native speaker.
Linguists use a small dot under the letter to mark an emphatic consonant in transliteration.
In Arabic class, Amina said 'tīn' instead of 'ṭīn' and confused her classmates.
- pharyngealised
the precise phonetic term for the same class of sounds
- velarised
a related but not identical articulation in some languages
文法句型
emphatic + consonant
用法筆記
A specialised term limited to linguistics and language-learning contexts focusing on Semitic languages. Not related to the general meaning of emphasis.