SYLLABLESYLLABLE

SYLLABLE STRUCTURESYLLABLE STRUCTURE

SyllableSyllableSyllable: group of speech sounds (group of segments)Syllable: group of speech sounds (group of segments) SylSyl – – lala – – bleble : 3 : 3 ‘‘poetic’ : ?’ : ?

Syllable is determinant for stress assignmentSyllable is determinant for stress assignment It is produced with one movement (a puff of air)It is produced with one movement (a puff of air) Syllable is determined by one Syllable is determined by one peakpeak (most (most

prominent) in the flow rate of pulmonic air (pulse prominent) in the flow rate of pulmonic air (pulse theory)theory)

The pulse of the air stream corresponds to peaks in The pulse of the air stream corresponds to peaks in sonoritysonority..

TheThe sonority sonority of a soundof a sound isis its relativeits relative loudness loudness compared to other sounds.compared to other sounds.

Speech sound can be Speech sound can be rankranked in terms of their ed in terms of their relative sonorityrelative sonority

Sonority scaleSonority scale Voiceless oral stops are minimal sonority.Voiceless oral stops are minimal sonority. Low vowels have the highest degree of sonorityLow vowels have the highest degree of sonority..

Oral stops Fricatives Nasals Liquids Semi vowels

Vowels

-Voice +Voice -Voice +Voice HIGH LOW

p b f v m

t d θ ð n j i a

k g s z ŋ l r w u ɑ

s o n

o r i t y

clamp /k/ is less sonorous than /l/, which is less /k/ is less sonorous than /l/, which is less

sonorous than / sonorous than / ææ /. / /. / ææ / is more sonorous / is more sonorous than /m/, which is more sonorous than the than /m/, which is more sonorous than the final /p/final /p/

Phonemic representation :Phonemic representation : sonoritysonority

/ k l / k l ææ m p / m p /

Andrew Andrew

SonoritySonority

/ / æ n d r u: / n d r u: /

aromaaroma

SonoritySonority

/ / әә r o m r o m әә / /

English SyllablesConstituent of the syllable (structure):Constituent of the syllable (structure):

syllablesyllable

OnsetOnset Rhyme Rhyme

Nucleus/PeakNucleus/Peak CodaCoda

Constituents of the syllableConstituents of the syllable

OnsetOnset refers to the opening segment of a refers to the opening segment of a syllable.syllable.

RhymeRhyme : a term to cover the nucleus and : a term to cover the nucleus and coda in the syllablecoda in the syllable

PeakPeak/ Nucleus/ Nucleus ( the main core; the most ( the main core; the most prominent)prominent)

CodaCoda : the final, consonantal element of the : the final, consonantal element of the syllablesyllable

syllablesyllableNucleusNucleus (P (Peakeak): ):

The only compulsory (obligatory) part The only compulsory (obligatory) part most important unit is the most important unit is the generally contain a vowel.generally contain a vowel.

Both Both onsetonset and and codacoda are optional are optional Each, if filled, will contain one or more consonants.Each, if filled, will contain one or more consonants.

A syllable with a coda is calledA syllable with a coda is called a closed syllable. a closed syllable.‘ ‘ bill ‘ / b bill ‘ / b ıı l / l /

A syllable without a coda is calledA syllable without a coda is called an open syllable. an open syllable.‘ ‘ be ‘ / b be ‘ / b ıı / /

The syllable consists of an obligatory vowel potentially The syllable consists of an obligatory vowel potentially surrounded by consonantssurrounded by consonants

‘‘thoughtthought’ has just three sounds – two consonants and a single ’ has just three sounds – two consonants and a single vowel / vowel / θθ ɔɔ: t /: t /..

Vowel and consonant structures for English Syllables

V awe V awe //ɔɔ:/:/ CV saw /sCV saw /sɔɔ:: / /VC ought / VC ought / ɔɔ:t /:t /CVC soon /su:n/CVC soon /su:n/CVCC runs /rCVCC runs /rʌnz /ʌnz /CCV draw /CCV draw /drdrɔɔ:: / /CCVC drawn / CCVC drawn / drdrɔɔ:n:n / /CCCVC straw / CCCVC straw / strstrɔɔ:: / /CCCVCCC strands CCCVCCC strands /str/stræændzndz / /CCVCCCC glimpsed CCVCCCC glimpsed /gl/gliimpst /mpst /

syllable structuresyllable structure

Words can be monosyllabic (e.g. Words can be monosyllabic (e.g. sawsaw, , ought, soonought, soon ) or polysyllabic (e.g. ) or polysyllabic (e.g. con-tain, con-tain, im-por-tant, im-por-tant, en-vi-ron-menten-vi-ron-ment ) )

The structure of monosyllabic words:The structure of monosyllabic words:The peak of the sonority curve is the The peak of the sonority curve is the peak peak

(nucleus)(nucleus) of the syllable. of the syllable.

structure of monosyllabic wordsstructure of monosyllabic words

Syl (Syl (σσ))

Onset (On)Onset (On) Rhyme (Rh) Rhyme (Rh)

Peak(Pe)Peak(Pe) Coda (Co)Coda (Co)

/ k l / k l ææ m p / m p /

cat cat / k æ t /

σσ

OnOn Rh Rh

PePe Co Co

/ k / k ææ t / t /

ill ill

SylSyl

onset Rhyme Rhyme

PeakPeak CodaCoda

Ø / / ii l / l /

She / She / ʃ ʃ i i //

σσ

On RhOn Rh

Pe Pe Co

/ / ʃʃ ii / / Ø

She / She / ʃ ʃ i i //

σσ

OnOn Rh Rh

PePe

/ / ʃʃ ii / /

bee bee // b i: b i: //

Syl (Syl (σσ))

OnOn Rh Rh

PePe

X X XX X X

/ b i: // b i: /

bit bit // b b i i tt //

Syll (Syll (σσ))

OnOn Rh Rh

PePe CoCo

XX X X X X

/ b / b ii t / t /

fine / fafine / faiin /n /

σσ

OnOn Rh Rh

PePe Co Co

/ f a / f a ii n / n /

feel / fi:l /feel / fi:l /

sylsyl

onsetonset rhyme rhyme

peak peak codacoda

X X X XX X X X

/ f i: l // f i: l /

fill / f fill / f ii l / l /

sylsyl

onsetonset rhyme rhyme

peak codapeak coda

X X XX X X

/ f / f ii l / l /

SylSyl

RhRh

On Pe CoOn Pe Co

X X XX X X

p p әә s / s /

campus / kcampus / kææmpmpәәss / /

SylSyl

RhRh

On Pe CoOn Pe Co

X X XX X X

/ k / k ææ m m

Polysyllabic wordPolysyllabic word

Polysyllabic wordPolysyllabic word ‘aroma‘ //әәrrәәuummәә//

Syl SylSyl Syl

RhymeRhyme RhymeRhyme

Peak Onset Peak Peak Onset Peak

X X X XX X X X

/ / әә r r әә u u

SylSyl

RhymeRhyme

Onset PeakOnset Peak

X XX X

m m әә / /

ambisyllabicity

A consonant is A consonant is ambisyllabicambisyllabic

if it is (part of) a permissible onset (cluster) if it is (part of) a permissible onset (cluster) and if it immediately follows a stressed lax and if it immediately follows a stressed lax vowelvowel

The consonants in question do indeed The consonants in question do indeed belong belong to both the preceding to both the preceding andand the following the following syllablesyllable..

They are syllabified ambiguously.They are syllabified ambiguously.

sylsyl

RRhymehyme

OnsetOnset PPeak eak CCodaoda

X X XX X X

r r әә l l / /

petrol / pe trpetrol / pe trәәl /l /

sylsyl

RRhymehyme

OOnset nset PPeak eak CodaCoda

X X XX X X

/ / p ep e t t

SSylyl

RRhh

OnOn PPee

XX

әә / /

‘ ‘ rubella ‘ /rubelrubella ‘ /rubelәә / /

SSyl yl SSylyl

RRh h RRhh

OOn n PPe e OOn n PPe e CoCo

X X X X XX X X X X

/ / r u b er u b e ll