One syllable: chart.
chahrt
/tʃɑɹt/
chart is pronounced chahrt (/tʃɑɹt/). It has one syllable (chart), with the stress on "chart". A short, horizontal graphic that maps data or information, often used in reports, presentations, or analytics. It can also refer to a plan or route showing connections or steps. As a verb, to chart means to map, record, or track something systematically over time. The term is common across business, science, and education.
A short, horizontal graphic that maps data or information, often used in reports, presentations, or analytics. It can also refer to a plan or route showing connections or steps. As a verb, to chart means to map, record, or track something systematically over time. The term is common across business, science, and education.
- You might substitute the initial /tʃ/ with a simple /t/ or /dʒ/, making it sound like 'chart' as 'tart' or 'jart'. Fix: keep the affricate /tʃ/ strong and avoid a heavy /d/ onset. - Vowel misquality: substitute /ɑ/ with /æ/ (like cat), which lightens the vowel and makes the word sound off. Fix: open your mouth wider and keep the back jaw drop for that broad /ɑ/. - Final /rt/ confusion: dropping the /t/ or conflating /rt/ into /r/ or /t/ alone. Fix: practice the final consonant cluster with a crisp release, ensuring you hear the /t/ after the /r/.
"The team presented a chart of quarterly sales to highlight trends."
"She drew a chart showing the patient’s vital signs over the week."
"The navigator charted a new sea route using the latest instruments."
Pronounce as one syllable: /tʃɑːrt/ in UK and /tʃɑːrt/ US; in General American the vowel is /ɑ/ or /ɑɹ/ depending on rhoticity, and the final /rt/ is clearly enunciated. Start with the affricate /tʃ/ (like chair without the i), then open back low vowel /ɑ/ (or /ɑ˞/), then the final /rt/ with light r-coloring before a release. Think ‘CH-ahrt’ with a crisp r in rhotic accents. Audio example: you’ll hear the initial /tʃ/ identical across dialects, followed by the broad /ɑ/ vowel and a short /r/ before the released /t/.
Common errors include neutralizing the /tʃ/ to a simple /t/ or /d/, producing a flattened /ɑ/ sounding like /æ/ as in cat, or dropping the final /rt/ making it sound like /char/ or /cha/. To correct: ensure the initial /tʃ/ remains affricate, keep the back open /ɑ/ vowel, and distinctly pronounce the /r/ (if rhotic) before a clear /t/. Practicing with minimal pairs like chart vs bart or chart vs chort can help lock in the single-syllable rhythm.
In US English, /tʃɑr t/ often rhotes the /r/; in non-rhotic UK speech, the /r/ may be weak or absent before a consonant, but since chart ends in /rt/, the /r/ is typically pronounced similarly to rhotic varieties, yielding /tʃɑːt/ with a stronger /t/ release. Australian English tends to maintain /ɹ/ coloring in rhotic contexts but may lengthen the vowel slightly and keep a perceptible, though subtle, /ɹ/ or non-velarized /ɹ/. Overall, the main variance is vowel quality (/ɑː/ vs /ɒ/) and rhotic realization.
The difficulty lies in the final consonant cluster /rt/ after a back vowel. Native speakers hold back the /r/ in many dialects, then release into a crisp /t/, which can feel awkward for learners. Additionally, the short back vowel /ɑ/ requires a broad mouth opening to avoid a lax, vowel like /æ/. Coordinating the tongue blade for /tʃ/ at the start with a sharp /t/ release at the end also challenges beginners.
Is there a silent-letter issue in chart? No. Chart is pronounced with a pronounced final /t/ after the /r/; there is no silent letter. The /r/ in rhotic dialects is pronounced distinctly before the /t/, while in some non-rhotic accents it may be felt as a subtle linking sound, but the /t/ remains audible. The emphasis is on the single syllable, so you should deliver a compact, crisp onset /tʃ/ then broad /ɑ/ and final /rt/.
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- US: rhoticity strengthens the /r/ before the /t/; keep the tongue bunched slightly to produce a clear /ɹ/ sound before releasing to /t/. IPA guidance: /tʃɑɹt/ with an audible /ɹ/ before /t/. - UK: usually non-rhotic; ensure you still maintain a pronounced /t/ after the /r/ for the chart cluster, but in adjacent phrases you may hear a reduced or subtle /ɹ/; vowel like /ɑː/ is common. IPA: /tʃɑːt/. - AU: rhotic with subtle /ɹ/; ensure vowel is broad /ɑː/ and the /r/ is dental-tinged before /t/, resulting in /tʃɑːt/ with light r-coloring. IPA: /tʃɑːˈt/.
Chart originates from the Old French word chartre or carta, meaning paper, sheet, or document. The term entered English in the late Middle Ages as a scribe’s sheet for maps or diagrams. Its semantic core broadened from a physical sheet to the abstract idea of a mapped plan or diagram. In the 15th–16th centuries, chart came to denote navigational charts and later data representations, grids, and tables. By the 17th century, chart as a verb meaning to plot or chart a course became standard in maritime and scientific contexts. In modern usage, chart preserves both data visualization (charts, graphs) and the act of charting a course or progress while retaining a sense of organization and systematic recording. First known uses appear in travel logs and scholarly treatises where maps and diagrams were essential for conveying spatial or informational relationships.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "chart" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "chart"
-art sounds
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