CONTENTS

1. WHAT IS AN ENGLISH SYLLABLE?

2. THE NATURE OF ENGLISH SYLLABLES
3. ELEMENTS OF A SYLLABLE
4. THE STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH SYLLABLES
5. A BRIEF EXPLANATION ON SYLLABIC CONSONANTS
6. THE DIVISION OF SYLLABLES IN WORDS

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What is a
Syllable?!

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 What is an English Syllable? How Can we define it?
• As with most terminology in English linguistics, the word syllable has origins
in Greek and Latin. By definition, syllables are building blocks of words that
are individual units of pronunciation containing one vowel sound. Syllables do
not have to contain consonants, though they often do. So, words can be cut up
into units called syllables.

• Ex/ the word ‘Rainbow’ /reInbǝʊ/ has two vowel sounds; one formed by letters
(ai), and one formed by (ow). As such, the word contains two syllables.

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• In linguistics, words can be defined by the number of syllables
they contain. Single syllable words, like ‘man’ are referred to
monosyllabic words and with two syllables, they are called
bisyllabic or disyllabic words and with more than two
syllables, they are called polysyllabic words.

• Syllables can be illustrated or represented by heart beat

sounds. The beats are representations of the syllables in a word.
Each syllables involves one burst of muscular energy.
Ex/ the word ‘Entertaining’ /en.tǝ.teI.nIŊ/ contains 4 beats.

• The concept of a syllable is plainly a unit of sound that is larger

and at higher level than a single segment of sound or phoneme
and usually smaller than a word.

Ex/ The word ‘Writer’ has two syllables. The syllables are longer
and larger than the single phonemes, like /r/ and /aI/, but smaller
and shorter than the word itself. 6
• It is not always easy to define the number of syllables in a word or to identify where one
ends and the next begins.
• Humans seem to need syllables as a way of segmenting the stream of speech and giving it a
rhythm of strong and weak beats.
• Syllables exist only to make speech easier for the run of process.
• The number of vowel sounds in a word equals to the number of syllables. Every syllable has
to have a vowel sound.
• When we combine vowels, diphthongs and consonants, we have different syllables.
• A word contains at least one syllables. A word is not considered a word with no syllables.
• The power of any word is in the syllable of that word, and we call that power ‘a center of
that word.’

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 LETS PRACTICE!
IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF SYLLABLES .
Words Number of Syllables
• Break . fast 2

• Ba . na. na 3

• To . mor . row 3

• U . ni . ver . si . ty 5

• Re . deem 2

• Hu . ma . nist 3

• Di . vi. sion 3

• Ca . lcu. la. tor 4

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 The Nature of the Syllable
• Syllables are usually described as consisting of a center which has little or no obstruction to airflow and
which sounds comparatively loud; before and after this center that is to say at the beginning and end of the
syllable, there will be greater obstruction to airflow and less loud sounds.

• Unlike consonant, vowel sounds are produced with very little obstruction of airflow, resulting in a difference
in the way they sound. Vowels are acoustically powerful, than consonants, thus we perceive them as both
longer lasting and louder than consonants.

• A syllable can be studied on both the phonetic and phonological levels of analysis; just like how we defined
sounds from both perspectives.

• No matter how easy it can be for people to count the number of syllables in a sequence in their native
language, still there are no universally agreed upon phonetic definitions of what a syllable is. 9
 Phonetic point of view on Syllables
View
• It focuses on the way we produce those syllables and the way they sound when we
pronounce them in a sequence of speech.
• Syllables are usually described as consisting of a center which has little or no obstruction
to airflow and which sounds comparatively loud; before and after this center that is to say
at the beginning and end of the syllable, there will be greater obstruction to airflow and
less loud sounds.

Example
In a monosyllable word ‘Cat’ /kæt/, the vowel /æ/ is
the center at which little obstruction takes place,
whereas we have complete obstruction to the airflow
for the surrounding plosives /k/ and /t/.

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 Phonological point of view on Syllables
View
• It focuses on the possible combinations of English phonemes (phonotactics). It explains
how phonemes can be arranged in a word in English language. It focuses on the structure
of the arrangement of phonemes and the ways we can find and make divisions for syllables
in a word. It mainly works on the position of syllables and the ways divide syllables with.
• Phonological syllable: is a complex unit made up of nuclear and marginal elements.
Nuclear elements are the vowels or syllabic segments; marginal elements are the
consonants or non-syllabic segments.

Example
In the word ‘paint’ /peInt/, the diphthong /eI/ is the
nuclear element, while initial consonant /p/ and the
final consonant cluster /nt/ are marginal elements.

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 Elements of a Syllable
• Some syllables would be composed by a single vowel in isolation which is called minimum syllable. A vowel
sound stands as the center of the syllable and it is the only obligatory element. Minimum syllables are preceded
and followed by silence. There are no other sounds available.
Ex/ in the words ‘are’, ‘or’, ‘err’, ‘eye’ and ‘air’, there is only the center of the syllable; other elements are not
available.

• Repeated sounds, like /m/ which we sometimes produce to indicate agreement and /ʃ/ sound to ask for silence,
must also be regarded as syllables.

• Some syllables have some consonant sounds preceding the center, instead of silence. These elements are called
onset.
Ex/ in words , like bar, key, more…..

• Some syllables may have no onset but have a coda, that is the center is followed by some consonant sounds.
Ex/ in words, like ‘am’, ‘ought’, ‘ease’………

• Some syllables have both onset and coda at the same time; that is the center is preceded and followed by
consonant sounds.
Ex/ in words, like ‘run’, ‘sat’, ‘fill’…………..
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• Elements like onset and coda are optional elements of a syllable around the nucleus.

• Loudness in relation to
other sounds
• The extent to which it
can be prolonged
(Peak) • The degree of stricture in
the vocal tract is low

æ
• The structure of a syllable is divided into two branches. The onset and the rhyme. The rhyme
is the vowel sound (nucleus, peak, or center) and the code because the rhyming of an English
verse works by matching just the last part of the last syllable of a line.

• The peak represents the nuclear or the most sonorous element in a syllable. The coda
includes all consonants that follow the peak in a syllable.
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 LETS PRACTICE!
DRAW A SYLLABLE STRUCTURE FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS.
Words Transcription
1. Eat /i:t/

2. Round /raʊnd/
3. Chicken /tʃIkIn/
4. Chocolate /tʃDkǝlǝt/

5. Story /stϽ:rI/

6. Christmas /krIsmǝs/

7. Garden /ga:rdǝn/

8. Shoe /ʃu:/
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• The scientific study of the possible combination of phonemes in a language is called
Phonotactics. This term is used in phonology to refer to sequential agreements of sounds
in a specific language.

Ex/Consonant sequences such as /fs/ and /spm/ do not occur initially in a word, and there
are many restrictions on the possible consonant + vowel + consonant combinations which
may occur. For instance, /Ŋ/ occurs only after some short vowels, like /I, æ, ʌ, D /.

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 The Structure of the English Syllable
• The simplest way of looking at the structure of syllable is by looking at what can occur in initial position. What
can occur at he beginning of the first word when we begin to speak after a pause.

• A word can begin with a vowel, or with one, two or three consonants. No word begins with more than three
consonants.

• In the same way, we can look at how a word ends when it is the last word spoken before a pause; it can end
with a vowel, or with one, two, three or four consonants. No word ends with more than four consonants.

• In brief the chart for the structure of the English syllable can be as the following:

Onset Coda
Vowel
Pre-initial Initial Post-initial Pre-final Final Post-final 1 Post-final 2 Post-final 3

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• The English syllable consists of a vowel as the center of the syllable and a possible combination of three
consonant sounds before the vowel and a possible combination of four consonant sounds after the vowel.

• Let’s first look at the onset elements of the syllable structure (the left hand elements).

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 Syllable Onset
CCCV.
Terms Definition Examples
1. Zero onset That is when the syllable begins with a vowel, any vowel may occur Err, air, are,
though /ʊ/ is rare. We say that this syllable has a zero onset. or…….etc

2. Consonant cluster That is when we have two or more consonant sounds coming together in Splendid, texts,
an immediate succession. narrow,…..etc

3. Initial consonants Is a type of onset element consonant that occurs before the occurrence of Me, fee, fan, tan,
any other consonants in onset. It can be any consonant except /Ŋ/ and /Ʒ/ can…….etc
sounds.
4. Pre-initial consonant Is a type of onset element consonant that always occurs before the initial Spin, sting,
consonant. This consonant is always composed of /s/ sound. sweat, sweep,
swat, sweet,
smoke,…..
5. post-initial consonant Is a type of onset element consonant that always occurs after the initial Play, try, quick,
consonant. This consonant is always composed of one of these /l, r, w, j/ few,......
sounds.

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• When we have initial consonant cluster of two or three consonants coming together, three
possible types of initial consonant clusters occur, they are as the following:

Three sorts:
1. /S/ (Pre-initial) + any consonant (initial)= s+ p= spin /spIn/
2. Any consonant (initial) + /l/, /r/, /w/, /j/ (post-initial) = f+ ew+ few /fju:/
3. /S/ (pre-initial) + any consonant (initial) + /l/, /r/, /w/, /j/ (post-initial) = s + p+ l= splendid
/splendId/

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 LETS PRACTICE!
ANALYZE THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS FOCUSING O N
INITIAL CONSONANT CLUSTERS.
Words Transcription
1. Splendid /splendId/

2. Round /raʊnd/
3. Screen /skri:n/
4. Stew /stju:/

5. Splay /spleI/

6. Christmas /krIsmǝs/

7. String /strInŊ/

8. Quick /kwIk/
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 Syllable Coda
.VCCCC
Terms Definition Examples
1. Zero coda Is when there is no consonant sound following the vowel sound (peak). Me, see, fee, flaw,
Hence; the syllable has no coda. few,…….

2. Final consonant It is a type of coda consonant that ends a syllable with. It comes before Tap, beef, van,
any other coda elements. Any consonant can be a final consonant except flash, scream,…..
/h/, /w/, /j/ sounds.
3. Pre-final consonant It is a type of coda consonant that comes before the final consonant Bump, bent, bank,
sounds. It is composed of a small set of /m, n, Ŋ, l, s/ sounds. belt, ask,…..

4. Post- final consonant 1 It is a type of coda consonant that comes after the final consonant Bets, beds, backed,
sounds. It forms a small set of sounds /s, z, t, d, ϴ/. bagged, eighth

5. Post- final consonant 2-3 All other post- final consonant come after one another and they are all Next, lapsed,
composed of a small set of sounds, like /s, z, t, d, ϴ/ just like post- final fifths, sixths,
consonant 1. texts,………

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• When we have final consonant cluster of two, three or four consonants coming together,
there are some possible types of final consonant clusters occurrence, they are as the
following:

• There are two sorts of two-consonant final cluster:

1. /m, n, Ŋ, l, s/ (Pre-final consonant) + any consonant except /h, w, j/ (final consonant)= m+p= bump /bʌmp/
2. Any consonant except /h, w, j/ (final consonant) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final consonant)= k+t= backed /bækt/

• There are two sorts of final three-consonant cluster:

1. /m, n, Ŋ, l, s/ (Pre-final consonant) + any consonant except /h, w, j/ (final consonant) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final
consonant)= l+p+t= helped /helpt/
2. Any consonant except /h, w, j/ (final consonant) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final 1) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final 2)=
k+s+t=next /nekst/

• There are two sort of four- consonant final cluster:

1. /m, n, Ŋ, l, s/ (Pre-final consonant) + any consonant except /h, w, j/ (final consonant) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final
1) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final 2) = l + f + ϴ + s = twelfths /twelfӨs/
2. Any consonant except /h, w, j/ (final consonant) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final 1) + /s, z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final 2) + /s,
z, t, d, Ө/ (post-final 3) = k + s + t + s= texts /teksts/
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Any
Consonant
except /h,
w, j/
/s, z, t, d, /s, z, t, d, /s, z, t, d,
Ө/ Ө/ Ө/

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 LETS PRACTICE!
ANALYZE THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS FOCUSING O N
FINAL CONSONANT CLUSTERS.
Words Transcription
1. Ranged / reIndƷd/

2. Suggest /sʌdƷest/
3. Prompts /prɒmpts/
3. Dropped /drɒpt/

4. Lapsed /læpst/

5. Bonds /bɒndz/

6. Sixths /sIksӨs/

7. Reached /ri:tʃt/
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 A Brief Explanation on Syllabic Consonants

• No consonant sound can be considered a syllable in a word, but in some cases when the center of the syllable
is so weak and its sonority is low, some consonant neighboring sounds are obliged to act and function as a
vowel sound and make syllabic consonants. They occur in syllables in which no vowels can be found. In this
case, a consonant, either /l/, /r/ or a nasal /n/, /m/ and /Ŋ/ sounds stand as the center of the syllable instead of
a vowel.
• It is usual to indicate that a consonant is syllabic by means of a small vertical mark / /.

Ex/ in the word ‘students’ /stju:dnts/, we cannot say the word consists of one syllable with three-consonant
clusters /stj/ for its onset and a four-consonant final cluster /dnts/. To fit with the English syllable structure, we
say that the word has two syllables with the second syllable ending with the cluster /nts/.

• The /ǝ/ sound between /d/ and /n/ sounds can be heard only in a very slow, careful pronunciation.
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 Syllable Division in Words
• Dividing syllables in a word is not an easy task, it is a matter of a heat controversy. We cannot easily decide
where a syllable ends and where the next syllable starts. We need to have some rules to solve these kind of
problems.
1. Maximal Onsets Principle: states that where two syllables are to be divided, any consonants between them
should be attached to the right-hand syllable, not the left, as far as possible. As the name of the principle suggests,
there should be more onsets to the second syllable as elements.
• There are some syllable division problems in some words even this principle cannot put an end to. For
example, in the word ‘better’/betǝ/ and ‘carry’ /kærI/.

2. Ambisyllabic solution: is when one consonant stands between vowels and it is difficult to assign the consonant
to one syllable or the other as in ‘better’ and ‘carry’, we could say that the consonant belongs to both syllables.
The term used by phonologists for a consonant in this situation.
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 LETS PRACTICE!
DIVIDE SYLLABLES IN THE FOLLOWING WORDS.
Words Transcription
1. Children / tʃIl.drǝn/

2. Disaster /dI.za:.stǝ/
3. Maintain /meIn.teIn/
4. Exist /eg.zIst/

5. Correct /kɒ.rekt/

6. Separate /sep.rǝt/

7. Cuisine /kwI.zi:n/

8. Cousin /kʌ.zǝn/
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