How to pronounce 20 legal terms
Hear courtroom and legal vocabulary, from affidavit and indictment to subpoena and jurisdiction.
Build around the stressed syllable
In affidavit, give the day vowel the main beat. In jurisdiction, listen for dik. Read the practice phrase after each video, then say the word again without looking at its spelling. Keeping one main beat can make a long term easier to organize.
Check the hidden consonants
Indictment has a silent c, while negligence contains both a hard g and the j sound in job. Compare judicial and litigation for different written letters producing sh near the ending. Make one sound reminder beside each word.
Keep context in the exercise
Precedent is practiced as a noun here. Say the supplied phrase, then write a different sentence using the same sense. These short practice phrases are original exercises; the sourced quotations and definitions remain available on the individual video pages.
Your listening list
20 wordsChoose a word to hear it in an APG video.
Test these pronunciations
Try 4 questions from this guide. Each answer includes an APG video, dictionary reference, and explanation.
Try this guide’s quiz →More words in this topic
31 wordsKeep listening with an APG video and a pronunciation tip for each word.
- abatement
uh-BAYT-munt: stress BAYT.
- abrogate
AB-ruh-gayt: start with a short, stressed a.
- absentia
ab-SEN-shuh: the ti sounds like sh.
- accede
ak-SEED: the second c sounds like s.
- acquiesce
ak-wee-ESS: save the main stress for the end.
- acquiescence
ak-wee-ESS-uns: keep ESS as the strongest beat.
- acquitted
uh-KWIT-id: qu sounds like kw.
- affiant
uh-FY-unt: the stressed vowel rhymes with “my.”
- aforementioned
uh-FOR-men-shund: give FOR the main beat.
- ascertain
as-er-TAYN: the ending rhymes with “rain.”
- censure
SEN-sher: the ending begins with sh.
- certificate
For the noun, stress TIF.
- citation
sy-TAY-shun: the initial c sounds like s.
- codify
KOH-dih-fy: begin with a long o.
- coercion
koh-UR-shun: begin the last syllable with sh.
- commutation
kom-yuh-TAY-shun: the main beat is TAY.
- conservatorship
kun-SUR-vuh-ter-ship: stress SUR.
- constituency
kun-STICH-oo-un-see: the t contributes a ch sound.
- constitutional
kon-stih-TOO-shuh-nuhl: stress TOO.
- exemption
Stress “zemp” after the opening vowel.
- license
Start with the vowel in “line.”
- notary
Start with a strong “no,” as in “note.”
- petition
Stress “ti” and finish with “shun.”
- reorganization
ree-or-guh-nuh-ZAY-shun: the main beat comes near the end.
- repudiate
rih-PYOO-dee-ayt: stress PYOO.
- rescind
rih-SIND: the sc has a single s sound.
- respondent
rih-SPON-dunt: stress SPON.
- statute
STACH-oot: listen for ch in the middle.
- statutory
Stress “stat” and listen for a “ch” sound.
- tribunal
try-BYOO-nuhl: stress BYOO.
- usury
YOO-zhuh-ree: the s sounds like zh.
Sources & classroom use
Each listening tip follows the IPA shown beside its word. Other dictionary pronunciations appear on the word page; individual speakers may vary.
Practice phrases were written for these exercises; quoted book passages remain in the separate, sourced book sections. These guides and practice notes are available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit American Pronunciation Guide and retain the linked dictionary attributions. Videos and other reference material keep their own terms.
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