3 syllables: Cha, per, ones. Stress on Cha.
SHAP-ur-ohnz
/ˈʃæpɚˌoʊnz/
Chaperones is pronounced SHAP-ur-ohnz (/ˈʃæpɚˌoʊnz/). It has three syllables (Cha-per-ones), with the stress on "Cha". Chaperones are guardians who accompany others to supervise behavior, safety, or conduct, especially during school trips or events. They function as supervising adults or responsible attendants, ensuring orderly movement and decorum. In usage, “chaperones” refers to multiple such guardians, typically in formal or organizational settings where accompaniment is required.
nounChaperones are guardians who accompany others to supervise behavior, safety, or conduct, especially during school trips or events. They function as supervising adults or responsible attendants, ensuring orderly movement and decorum. In usage, “chaperones” refers to multiple such guardians, typically in formal or organizational settings where accompaniment is required.
- You tend to misplace stress by spreading across syllables; always keep primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌroʊnz/. - Final /nz/ may be softened to /n/ or /z/ only; practice sustaining the nasal + fricative cluster. - The second syllable often becomes /pər/ instead of /pə/; ensure the unstressed schwa /ə/ is present. - Over-singing the /oʊ/ diphthong can sound exaggerated; aim for a natural /roʊnz/ or /rəʊnz/ depending on accent.
"The school sent four chaperones to supervise the overnight field trip."
"Parents volunteered as chaperones to ensure students stayed safe during the museum visit."
"Chaperones coordinate group arrivals and check in with the chaperone in charge."
Phonetically, it’s /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌroʊnz/ in US, with primary stress on CHAY, and the final -ones rhyming with bones. In UK, /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌrəʊnz/, ending with -roʊnz equivalent to ‘roans.’ In Australian English, it’s typically /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌrəunz/; the ending often has a schwa-like middle and a voiced z. Focus on the two-positions: the first syllable is a sharp, vowel-glide /eɪ/, tongue high-mid, lips rounded, then /pə/ with a light schwa, and final /roʊnz/ or /rəʊnz/.”,
Common errors: swapping the second syllable to /pər/ as in ‘chap-er-ones’ instead of /pəˈroʊnz/. Another is reducing the final /nz/ to a simple /n/, losing the voiced nasal consonant. A third mistake is misplacing primary stress, making it /tʃeɪˈpəˌroʊnz/ or spreading stress too evenly. Corrections: keep the primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌroʊnz/, ensure final /nz/ is clearly voiced; practice by saying “chaperone” singular slowly, then add the -s with a voiced /z/ or /nz/ ending.”,
US: /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌroʊnz/ with rhotic r and clear /oʊ/ diphthong. UK: /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌrəʊnz/ with non-rhotic r and /əʊ/ rounded vowel in final. AU: /ˈtʃeɪ.pəˌrəunz/ commonly ends with /aʊnz/ or /rəunz/ depending on speaker; may have a broader /ɜː/ quality in middle syllable. Across accents, the main differences are rhoticity of the second syllable and vowel quality in the final syllable; the stress pattern remains the same. IPA references help you map mouth positions for each variant.
The difficulty comes from the cluster /tʃeɪ/ with a gliding onset, then a mid-central /ə/ in the second syllable, and the final /roʊnz/ vs /rəʊnz/ depending on accent. The combination of two syllables with a reduced second and a voiced /nz/ at the end can trip non-native speakers. Tongue raises for /tʃ/ and /z/ plus precise lip rounding for /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ require careful training to sound natural.
Unique concern for 'Chaperones' is maintaining the two-stress pattern and the final consonant cluster /nz/ as a voiced alveolar nasal plus fricative. Ensure you don't convert /roʊnz/ to /roənz/ or drop the final z. Practice with slow pronunciation then speed up; use minimal pairs like chaperone vs chaperones to reinforce the plural ending and voicing. IPA awareness helps you correct subtle differences across US/UK/AU.
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- US: rhotic /roʊnz/; stress predominantly on first syllable; keep the final z distinct. - UK: non-rhotic /rəʊnz/ or /rəʊnz/ with a more rounded, longer /ə/ in the second syllable; avoid sudden /ɪ/ or /ɒ/ shifts. - AU: similar to UK but with more centralized vowels; punchier /ɔː/ in some speakers; ensure final /nz/ is voiced and clear.
Chaperone originates from the French chaperon, meaning an old woman or hood, and historically referred to a protective female attendant during the 18th century. The term in English developed in the 19th century to describe a guardian or companion who oversaw young women on social occasions, ensuring propriety and safety. The root chaperon itself traces to Old French, with possible ties to the late Latin caperārius (watchman) and derivations from caper, meaning hat or hood; the idea was someone who covers or covers over to guard. Over time, the word broadened to mean any supervisory companion on outings, trips, or events, and later specifically to adults who supervise minors or groups in educational or cultural settings. The plural form chaperones follows standard English inflection. The evolution reflects social norms around propriety and supervision in group activities, and the modern sense is widely used in schools, museums, and youth programs.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Chaperones" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Chaperones"
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