utterance
C1Formal, Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
A spoken word, statement, or vocal sound; the act of speaking or expressing something aloud.
In linguistics, a continuous piece of speech, often by one person, which may be shorter or longer than a grammatical sentence. Can also refer to the expression or articulation of thoughts or feelings.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word often implies a complete, meaningful unit of speech in a specific context. In technical linguistic contexts, it is a neutral term for any stretch of speech, regardless of grammatical completeness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more common in British academic/linguistic writing, but the distinction is minimal.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries connotations of formality or technical precision when used outside of everyday language.
Frequency
Low frequency in casual conversation for both; higher in academic, legal, and linguistic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] + utterance (e.g., a brief utterance)utterance + [preposition] (e.g., utterance of a word)the utterance of + [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[to give] utterance to (one's feelings/thoughts)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal reports or legal contexts regarding statements made by executives.
Academic
Common in linguistics, philosophy of language, discourse analysis, and literary studies.
Everyday
Uncommon. Would sound formal or old-fashioned (e.g., 'He didn't make a sound, not a single utterance').
Technical
Core term in phonetics, pragmatics, and corpus linguistics to denote a unit of analysis in spoken data.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He would utter a few words and then fall silent.
- She did not utter a single complaint.
American English
- He didn't utter a word during the entire meeting.
- The witness refused to utter the name.
adverb
British English
- The plan went utterly wrong.
- I am utterly convinced of his innocence.
American English
- That is utterly ridiculous.
- She was utterly exhausted after the trip.
adjective
British English
- The utter chaos in the office was demoralising.
- She felt utter despair at the news.
American English
- It was an utter disaster from start to finish.
- He looked at me with utter confusion.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby's first utterance was 'mama'.
- He listened but made no utterance.
- Her final utterance before leaving was a simple 'goodbye'.
- The teacher analysed every utterance in the recording.
- The politician's public utterances were carefully scripted by his team.
- In linguistics, an utterance can be a sentence, a phrase, or even a grunt of agreement.
- The study examined the pragmatic function of child-directed utterances in naturalistic settings.
- His cryptic utterance, 'the wheel is come full circle,' left the audience pondering its significance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'UTTER' (to speak) + 'ANCE' (the act or result of). An utterance is the result of uttering.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEECH IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT PRODUCED AND GIVEN (e.g., 'He gave utterance to his fears').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'высказывание' which is more often 'statement'. 'Utterance' is broader and more technical.
- Avoid direct translation as 'произнесение' (the act of pronouncing) as it misses the 'product/unit' meaning.
- In linguistics, it is often translated as 'высказывание' or 'речевой акт', but these are not perfect equivalents.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for 'sentence' (an utterance can be a single word or a fragment).
- Using it in casual conversation where 'thing he/she said' would be more natural.
- Misspelling as 'utterence'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'utterance' MOST commonly and appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In linguistics, an utterance is any stretch of speech, which can be a word, a phrase, a sentence fragment, or multiple sentences.
A 'sentence' is a grammatical unit defined by syntax. An 'utterance' is a unit of speech in a real context, defined by its production and pragmatic function. All spoken sentences are utterances, but not all utterances are grammatical sentences.
Typically, no. It primarily refers to spoken language. For written language, terms like 'expression', 'statement', or 'text' are more appropriate, unless referring to the written representation of speech.
Yes, it is formal and technical. In everyday conversation, simpler words like 'thing he said', 'remark', or 'comment' are far more common.
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