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This document provides information about syllables, including their definition, structure, and types. It can be summarized as follows: 1) A syllable consists of a vowel sound at the center, optionally preceded and followed by consonant sounds. Syllables can be part of words or entire words. 2) The structure of English syllables includes an optional onset of up to three consonant sounds before the vowel, and an optional coda of up to four consonant sounds after the vowel. 3) Syllables are either strong or weak; strong syllables are stressed and have full vowel sounds while weak syllables are unstressed and have reduced vowel sounds like schwa.

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142 views24 pages

4.l I Font

This document provides information about syllables, including their definition, structure, and types. It can be summarized as follows: 1) A syllable consists of a vowel sound at the center, optionally preceded and followed by consonant sounds. Syllables can be part of words or entire words. 2) The structure of English syllables includes an optional onset of up to three consonant sounds before the vowel, and an optional coda of up to four consonant sounds after the vowel. 3) Syllables are either strong or weak; strong syllables are stressed and have full vowel sounds while weak syllables are unstressed and have reduced vowel sounds like schwa.

Uploaded by

dao quan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lecture 4

Syllables
Definition

The nature of syllables


The structure of English syllables
Strong and weak syllables

Definition
Phonetically, a syllable is a unit which consists of a
vowel as the centre and/or consonant(s) before and
after it.
e.g.

Are //
No //

At //
Cat /k/
A syllable can be part of a word or it can coincide with a
word.
2

The nature of syllables


A minimum syllable is a single vowel in isolation
e.g. are //
err //

or //

Some syllables have an onset. That is they have more


than just silence preceding the centre of the syllable.

e.g.

my /ma/

Some syllables may have no onset but have a coda


(termination).
e.g.

on //

Some syllabes have both an onset and a termination.

e.g.

meat /m/

Structure of English syllables


Syllable

Onset
(Optional)

Centre

Coda
(Optional)

Syllable onset
If the first syllable of the word begins with
A vowel Zero Onset
e.g.

ease

our

One consonant initial consonant

e.g.

send

church

Two or more consonants together an initial


consonant cluster.
e.g.

clear

spring
5

Initial consonant clusters


1. Initial two-consonant clusters

Pre-initial /s/ + initial consonant


e.g. slight

smoke

Initial + post-initial /j, w, l, r/

e.g. queue

twin

try

2. Initial three-consonant cluster

Pre-initial /s/ + initial /p, k, t/ + post-initial /l, r, w, j/

e.g. scream
squid

stew
string

Syllable coda (termination)


If a syllable ends with:
A vowel zero termination
e.g.

no

car

A consonant final consonant


e.g.

meal

late

More than one consonant final consonant cluster

e.g.

ask

next

tests

texts
7

Final consonant clusters

Final two
Consonant
cluster

Final three
Consonant
cluster

Final four
Consonant
cluster

Final two consonant clusters


1. Pre-final /m, n, N, l, s/ + final. Examples:
bond

pump

bank

dealt

desk

think

2. Final + post-final /s, z, t, d, /. Examples:


cats

bags

looked

begged

eighth

kissed
9

Final three consonant clusters


1. Pre-final + final + post-final. Examples:
helped

banks

bonds

twelfth

2. Final + post-final 1 + post-final 2. Examples:


fifths
next

lapsed
10

Final four consonant clusters


1. Pre-final + final + post-final 1 + post-final 2
twelfths
prompts
2. Final + post-final 1 + post-final 2 + post-final 3
sixths
texts

11

Syllable division

extra
e.kstr@

ek.str@
eks.tr@

ekst.r@

ekstr.@
12

Syllable division
Maximum Onset Principle:
Consonants are assigned to the right-hand syllable
as far as possible within the restrictions governing
syllable onsets and codas.

Restrictions:
No word begins with more than 3 consonants.

No word ends with more than 4 consonants.


13

Therefore:

extra
e.kstr@

ek.str@
eks.tr@

ekst.r@
ekstr.@
14

Strong and weak syllables


1.

Strong syllables: Strong syllables are stressed. They


are syllables that have as their centres one of the vowel
phonemes or possibly a triphthong, but not /@/.
Examples:
contain

2.
a.

advise

alter

Weak syllables: are unstressed. They are syllables that


can have only four types of centre.
The vowel /@/: worker
banana

b.

A close front unrounded vowel in the general area of /i:/


and / I /: / i /: money
family

c.

A close back rounded vowel in the general area of /u:/


and / U /: /u/: arduous
do

d.

A syllabic consonant: bottle

garden

15

The /@/ vowel (schwa)


In quality:
Mid (half-way between close and open)
Central (half-way between front and back)

16

Common Spellings
Weak form

Strong Form

attend

character

ar

particular

march

ate intimate

mate

carrot

potato

or

forget

mortgage
17

Common Spellings
Weak form

Strong form

violet

settlement

autumn

butter

er

perhaps

merge

ough thorough
ou

callous

though
could
18

Close front vowel


Phonetic symbol: / i /

Common spellings:
Final -y or -ey : happy
Prefix re- pre- de- : react
Suffix -iate -ious : appreciate
Unstressed words : he

, she

, we

the preceding a vowel


19

Close back vowel


Phonetic symbol: /u/
Common spellings:
Unstressed words: you

, to

, who

Before another vowel within a word: influenza

20

Syllabic Consonants
Definition:

A syllabic consonant stands as the peak of


the syllable instead of a vowel. It is usual to

indicate that a consonant is syllabic by


means of a small vertical mark ( < )

Phonetic symbols: //, //, /m/, //


21

/l/
Common spellings
Words ending with one or more consonant letters
followed by le
with alveolar consonant preceding
cattle

, wrestle

with non-alveolar consonant preceding


couple

, struggle

Words ending with one or more consonant letters


followed by al or el
panel

, petal

, parcel
22

/n/
Common spellings

After alveolar plosives t, d


threaten

, student

After labiodental fricative f, v


often

, seven

23

/m/ //
Only occur as a result of processes such as
assimilation and elision

happen
thicken

24

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