2 syllables: grand, child. Stress on grand.
GRAND-cheyeld
/ˈɡɹænˌdtʃaɪld/
grandchild is pronounced GRAND-cheyeld (/ˈɡɹænˌdtʃaɪld/). It has two syllables (grand-child), with the stress on "grand". Grandchild is the child of one's child. In everyday use, it denotes a familial relationship across generations and can function as a noun in most contexts. The term combines the meaning of “grand” (a generation added) with “child,” and is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable, often heard in connected speech as /ˈɡræn(t)ˌtʃaɪld/.
Grandchild is the child of one's child. In everyday use, it denotes a familial relationship across generations and can function as a noun in most contexts. The term combines the meaning of “grand” (a generation added) with “child,” and is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable, often heard in connected speech as /ˈɡræn(t)ˌtʃaɪld/.
- You often blend the /t/ and /tʃ/, producing a lax /ˈɡræntʃaɪld/; ensure a brief, crisp /t/ before /tʃ/. - The /æ/ in the first syllable can slide toward an /eɪ/ or a more centralized quality in rapid speech; keep the open front lax /æ/. - Final /ld/ can be swallowed or softened; practice a light contact for /l/ followed by the clear /d/ release. To correct: practice with slow emulation of /t/ before /tʃ/ using minimal pairs like grand + child, gran(d) + child, then speed up. Use tongue-tip contact with the alveolar ridge for /t/ then a crisp /tʃ/ release, keeping the /l/ light and not retracted.
"My granddaughter invited me to her recital."
"We visited our grandchildren over the holidays."
"The grandchild surprised the family with a drawing."
Pronounce as /ˈɡræn(t)ˌtʃaɪld/. The primary stress is on the first syllable GRAN-, with a secondary, lighter stress on -t CHILD. The sequence tʃaɪld begins with the voiceless postalveolar affricate /tʃ/ followed by /aɪ/ and ends with /ld/. In connected speech, the (t) in parentheses often becomes a light touch or even elided in rapid speech: /ˈɡrænˌtʃaɪld/. You’ll place the jaw slightly open for /æ/, lips relaxed, and the tongue for /tʃ/ curls to contact the alveolar ridge while releasing into /aɪ/. Audio reference: you can check native pronunciations on credible dictionaries or pronunciation sites.
Common errors include: 1) Slurring the /t/ into /tʃ/ or dropping the t entirely, which makes it sound like /ˈɡræntʃaɪld/; ensure a distinct /t/ before /tʃ/. 2) Misplacing the /æ/ as a more closed vowel like /eɪ/ in /æɪ/ sequences; keep a clear short /æ/ sound for the first syllable. 3) Overly hard or muted /l/ at the end, producing an indistinct final /ld/ syllable; aim for a light, dental or alveolar /l/ before the /d/. Practicing with minimal pairs can help: gran(d) vs grand + child. Practicing slowly with precise tongue positions will reduce these errors.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈɡræn(t)ˌtʃaɪld/ with a rhotic r in related words, but 'grandchild' itself does not feature an r sound after the initial consonant; the key is clear /æ/ and the /tʃ/ cluster. UK English tends to maintain a similar pattern but with subtle vowel timing differences; /æ/ tends to be a bit more open and the /t/ may be more released. Australian English is similar to US/UK but may show a slightly more centralized vowel for /æ/ and a softer /d/ in rapid speech. All three rely on a distinct /tʃ/ onset in the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in coordinating the end of the first syllable with the onset of the second: the /t/ (optional) before /tʃ/ can blur in rapid speech, and the /æ/ vowel must be distinct before the /tʃ/ sequence. The cluster /tʃ/ is a palatal affricate that requires precise tongue blade contact with the palate; failure to release cleanly creates a muddled sound. Additionally, maintaining a light but audible final /ld/ without lisping or overemphasizing the /l/ helps sustain natural rhythm.
Focus on obtaining a clean separation between the two morphemes: GRAn(d) + CHIld. The first syllable should carry the main stress, but you must clearly articulate the /tʃ/ onset of the second syllable, which distinguishes it from simple concatenations like grandchild vs grandchild. Visualize the tongue movement: start with the jaw open, jaw slightly drops for /æ/ then lift to create the /tʃ/ release into /aɪld/. This helps ensure you neither skip the /t/ (giving /ˈɡrænˌtʃaɪld/) nor overemphasize it.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity in surrounding words, but grandchild itself features a non-rhotic pattern; ensure the /æ/ is bright and the /tʃ/ crisp. - UK: maintain a slightly longer duration on /æ/ and a distinct /t/ before /tʃ/; keep the vowel qualities slightly more centralized and crisp. - AU: similar to US but with a tendency toward slightly broader vowel sounds; keep /æ/ expansive and ensure a clean /tʃ/ release. Across all three, the key is the /t/ before /tʃ/ and a clear /ld/ finale. IPA references: US /ˈɡræn(t)ˌtʃaɪld/, UK /ˈɡræn(d)ˌtʃaɪld/, AU /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌtʃaɪld/.
Grandchild derives from the Middle English phrase grand child, literally the child of a grandparent. The term juxtaposes grand- (a prefix indicating one generation removed, from Old French grand) with child (from Old English cild). The granularity of the family relation is universal across languages, but specific forms vary; English uses a double-nominal construction to signify lineage across generations. The first attested uses appear in late medieval English, with similar compounds found in other Germanic languages reflecting a stable social structure in which kinship terms emphasize generational layers. The modern spelling consolidates the two words into a single, hyphenated or unhyphenated form in different historical periods, stabilizing in contemporary usage as grandchild. The concept of a grandchild has long carried cultural importance in inheritance, storytelling, and kin-structured family narratives, and its vocabulary persists across regional dialects with minor rhotic and vowel differences.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "grandchild" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "grandchild"
-ild sounds
-led sounds
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