Pronunciation: [hˈɪtɪŋ əpˌɒn] (IPA) 
The phrase "hitting upon" is spelled with a silent "h" at the beginning, as is common in many English words. The IPA phonetic transcription for this phrase would be /hɪtɪŋ əpɒn/. The first syllable is pronounced with the "ih" sound, as in "sit", followed by the "t" sound in the second syllable. The "up" in the third syllable is pronounced with the "uh" sound, as in "but". The final syllable has the "on" sound, as in "gone".
Hitting upon is a verb phrase that refers to the act of accidentally discovering or coming across something, usually through chance or luck. It often entails stumbling upon an idea, solution, or piece of information that was unexpected or not previously known or considered. When someone hits upon something, they have serendipitously found or encountered it, and it may not have been the result of any conscious effort or deliberate search.
The phrase often implies a certain element of surprise, as the person hitting upon something did not anticipate or plan for the discovery. It can relate to various contexts, such as encountering a new perspective, uncovering a solution to a problem, stumbling upon an interesting fact or detail, or even unexpectedly finding an answer or resolution in a conversation or brainstorming session.
Furthermore, hitting upon can also convey the idea of a sudden realization or inspiration. It can describe the moment when a person has a breakthrough or "aha" moment, where they unexpectedly grasp or understand something they had been grappling with. This can happen during activities such as brainstorming, problem-solving, or even everyday conversations.
Overall, hitting upon signifies a chance encounter with new information, ideas, perspectives, or solutions, highlighting the element of surprise and the lack of premeditation in the discovery.
The word "hitting upon" can be understood as a combination of two separate etymologies:
1. Hitting: The term "hitting" originates from the Old English word "hyttan", which means to encounter or strike. It evolved from the Proto-Germanic word "hittjanan", which shares the same meaning. Over time, "hitting" came to refer to making contact with or striking something or someone.
2. Upon: The word "upon" has its roots in Old English as well, derived from the preposition "upp" or "up". This preposition denoted a position above or on top of something else. It also existed in Old Norse as "upp" and in Old Frisian as "up". Eventually, these words transformed into "upon" over time.
