How to pronounce "civilizations"

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Transcriber: Translate TED Reviewer: Rhonda Jacobs

Why is 1.5 degrees such a big deal?

Because to warm our entire planet up by 1.5 degrees Celsius

requires a lot of heat.

All this extra heat melts glaciers, which raise sea levels.

If the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland melt completely,

millions of people's homes will be under water.

The extra heat also intensifies weather,

making wet places wetter, dry places drier

and increasing the ferocity of storms.

That 1.5-degree increase also won't be distributed evenly.

The coldest nights in the Arctic might get 10 degrees warmer.

The warmest days in Mumbai might get five degrees hotter.

Over the past 10,000 years, we've been lucky.

Earth's climate was stable and our civilizations flourished.

But as our climate gets more unstable, so will our economies and our societies.

We'll all suffer,

and the vulnerable will be hit hardest,

unless we act now.

[Countdown

Take action on climate change at Countdown.ted.com]

Phonetic Breakdown of "civilizations"

Learn how to break down "civilizations" into its phonetic components. Understanding syllables and phonetics helps with pronunciation, spelling, and language learning.

civ-i-liza-tions

4 syllables

IPA Phonetic Pronunciation:

S IH2 V AH0 L IH0 Z EY1 SH AH0 N Z

Standard phonetic transcription to help with precise pronunciation

Pronunciation Tips:

Stress the first syllable
Pay attention to vowel sounds
Practice each syllable separately

Spelling Benefits:

Easier to remember spelling
Helps with word recognition
Improves reading fluency

Definition of "civilizations"

Noun

An organized culture encompassing many communities, often on the scale of a nation or a people; a stage or system of social, political or technical development.

Example: "Modern civilization is a product of industrialization and globalization."
Human society, particularly civil society.

Example: "A hermit doesn't much care for civilization."
The act or process of civilizing or becoming civilized.

Example: "The teacher's civilization of the child was no easy task."
The state or quality of being civilized.

Example: "He was a man of great civilization."
The act of rendering a criminal process civil.