3 syllables: chat, ter, ing. Stress on chat.
CHAT-ur-ing
/ˈtʃætɚɪŋ/
chattering is pronounced CHAT-ur-ing (/ˈtʃætɚɪŋ/). It has three syllables (chat-ter-ing), with the stress on "chat". Chattering refers to rapid, incessant talk or the rapid, light tapping of teeth or other objects to produce sound. In linguistics, it can describe casual, often noisy conversation, or the action of making quick, repetitive sounds with the tongue or teeth. The term conveys a sense of continuous, lively exchange, sometimes with little meaningful content.
Chattering refers to rapid, incessant talk or the rapid, light tapping of teeth or other objects to produce sound. In linguistics, it can describe casual, often noisy conversation, or the action of making quick, repetitive sounds with the tongue or teeth. The term conveys a sense of continuous, lively exchange, sometimes with little meaningful content.
- You may overemphasize the middle /t/ or turn /t/ into a hard /d/ in fast speech. Focus on a light alveolar stop followed by a quick schwa: /tæ-tə-rɪŋ/ in slower speech, then /tʃætərɪŋ/ in natural speed. - Dropping the final /ŋ/ or letting it drift into /n/ due to trailing voice; keep the velar nasal with a clean velar closure and nasal resonance. - Merging /t/ and /d/ in rapid speech; practice with minimal pairs: chattering vs chatter-ing vs chatt-ering to feel the distinct stops and linking. - Under-emphasizing the initial /tʃ/; ensure you begin with a strong /tʃ/ enunciated clearly, especially in careful diction. - Vowel length and quality in the second syllable; avoid a too-strong /ɜː/ or /ɜ/; use a light, centered /ə/ before /t/.
"The crowd outside the cafe was full of chattering voices."
"His teeth kept chattering in the cold as he waited for the bus."
"The children were chattering away, excited about the field trip."
Pronounce it as /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/ in US/UK/AU accents. Stress on the first syllable: CHÁ-ter-ing. Begin with the /tʃ/ sound, a voiceless postalveolar affricate, followed by /æ/ as in “cat,” then a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, and end with /ŋ/ as in “sing.” In connected speech, the middle /t/ can be lighter or even elided in rapid American speech: cha-tering. Mouth: lips neutral, tip of tongue near the alveolar ridge for /tʃ/, then the tongue lowers a touch for /æ/ and /ə/, finishing with the velar nasal /ŋ/.
Two frequent errors: (1) Slurring or replacing /tʃ/ with /t/ or /dʒ/, yielding 'chat-ering' instead of 'chat-ter-ing.' Correct by starting with a strong /tʃ/, lip rounding and blade of tongue near the alveolar ridge. (2) Dropping the middle syllable or mispronouncing /ə/ as /ɪ/ or /ɛ/. Practice the middle schwa /ə/ as a quick, relaxed vowel before the /t/ and /ɹ/ transition. Also ensure the final /ŋ/ is velar and voiced through the nasal resonance.
US: /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/ with a rhotic /r/ and clear /t/; the /t/ can be flapped in rapid speech, so ‘cha-der-ing’ may occur. UK: /ˈtʃætəɪŋ/ or /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/ with non-rhotic /r/ and a more pronounced schwa in the second syllable; /t/ can be unreleased in fast speech. Australia: /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/ similar to US but with shorter vowel durations and less rhotic influence; some speakers merge /t/ and /d/ in casual speech, making /tæɾərɪŋ/ in very fast contexts.
The challenge lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm, the cluster /tʃæt/ versus the quick, reduced middle /ər/ or /ə/, and the final velar nasal /ŋ/. Coordinating the affricate /tʃ/ with the alveolar /t/ and ensuring a clear, light schwa before /ŋ/ in fast speech can be tricky. Additionally, maintaining steady stress on the first syllable while producing a crisp /t/ before the /ə/ requires precise tongue timing and air flow. IPA cues and mouth-movement awareness help manage this.” ,
Yes. Think of it as CHÁ-ter-ing with an audible, though brief, pause-like quality between syllables in careful speech. Maintain a firm initial /tʃ/ and ensure the middle /t/ is a light, quick tap rather than a heavy release. Practicing with the phrase “the chatter-ing crowd” can help you link the consonants fluidly while preserving the final /ŋ/.
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- US: Rhotic articulation; keep /r/ light unless following a vowel; the middle vowel often reduces toward /ə/.IPA reference: /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/. - UK: Non-rhotic; /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel; second syllable often a clearer /ə/; IPA: /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/. - AU: Similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels and less pronounced /r/ in some speakers; IPA: /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/. - Practice tip: record yourself saying slowly and then at natural speed; compare with native samples; focus on the middle /ə/ and final nasal. - General: keep jaw relaxed, lips rounded for /tʃ/, tongue blade near the alveolar ridge; ensure air flows steadily through the mouth for a crisp onset.
Chattering comes from the verb chat, from Old French chatter, probably of imitative origin, associated with the sound of quick, light talk. The noun form chattering emerged in Middle English as a descriptive label for vigorous, continuous talk. The sense expanded to include the sound of rapid, repetitive teeth or object tapping, often as a byproduct of cold or nervous energy. The word has retained its core meaning of lively, informal speech across centuries, with metaphorical extension to describe rapid, spurious noise rather than structured discourse. First known use as a noun referencing talk appeared in the 16th century, with the verb form well-attested in early modern English. Over time, chattering also acquired connotations of triviality and non-constructive talk, though in some contexts it can denote sociable, friendly chatter rather than criticism. In contemporary usage, “chattering” is common both as a present participle in descriptive phrases (the chattering crowd) and as a gerund describing the act of rapid talking or repetitive teeth-tapping sounds.
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Words that rhyme with "chattering"
-ing sounds
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