The word "guitar" is spelled with six letters: G-U-I-T-A-R. It is pronounced /ɡɪˈtɑr/ in IPA phonetic transcription, with the primary stress on the second syllable. The "g" is pronounced like the "g" in "go", followed by the "ui" diphthong which sounds like "ee" in English. The "t" is pronounced like a simple "t", and the "a" is pronounced like "ah". The final "r" is pronounced with a slight "uh" sound.
A guitar is a highly popular musical instrument that belongs to the string family. It typically consists of a hollow-bodied instrument with a long neck, a flat soundboard, and a series of six strings that are plucked or strummed to produce sounds. Guitars come in various shapes and sizes, with the most common being the acoustic and electric guitars.
The acoustic guitar utilizes the soundboard's resonance to amplify the strings' vibrations, producing a natural and warm tone. It is typically played by fingerpicking or strumming the strings with the fingers or a pick. Acoustic guitars are commonly used in folk, country, and pop music genres.
On the other hand, electric guitars use pickups to convert the strings' vibrations into electrical signals, which are then amplified through an amplifier. The amplified signal can be further modified using effect pedals or by altering the guitar's controls to produce a wide range of tones. Electric guitars are a vital component in various genres such as rock, blues, jazz, and metal.
The guitar's versatility and adaptability make it a fundamental instrument in modern music, allowing musicians to express their creativity and emotions through melodies, chords, and harmonies. It has become a symbol of popular culture and a centerpiece of countless bands and artists throughout history.
A stringed instrument, much in the form of a violin, but with a longer neck, and played upon with the fingers.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word guitar is derived from the Old French word guitare, which originated from the Latin word cithara. Cithara itself is ultimately derived from the Ancient Greek word kithara, referring to a stringed instrument of the lyre family. Over time, cithara transitioned into guitarre in Middle English, and eventually evolved into the modern English term guitar.