Definition: Syllables are units of sound in a word, often described as the "beat" of the sound.
Orthography vs. IPA: English spelling (orthography) can mislead with syllable separation. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is preferred for clarity.
Syllable Structure
Components of a Syllable:
Onset: Consonants that occur before the nucleus (main vowel).
Nucleus: The central vowel sound of the syllable.
Coda: Consonants that come after the nucleus.
Rhyme: Combination of nucleus and coda.
Example: "stream"
IPA: /striːm/
Breakdown:
Onset: STR
Nucleus: I
Coda: M
Example: "fight"
IPA: /faɪt/
Breakdown:
Onset: F
Nucleus: I
Coda: T
Multi-Syllable Example: "missing"
IPA: /ˈmɪsɪŋ/
Breakdown:
Syllable 1: /mɪ/
Onset: M
Nucleus: I
No Coda
Syllable 2: /sɪŋ/
Onset: S
Nucleus: I
Coda: NG
Pig Latin Example
Rules for transforming words into Pig Latin:
Take the first letter of the word, move it to the end, and add "ay".
Example: "fight" -> "ightfay"
Example: "missing" -> "issingmay"
Sonority Hierarchy
Importance: Syllable structure is influenced by sonority.
Sonority Points:
Obstruents: 1 point
Nasals: 2 points
Liquids: 3 points
Glides: 4 points
Vowels: 5 points
Diagram: The nucleus is the highest peak, with onset leading up and coda leading down.
Example with "revolution"
Breakdown of syllables:
Syllable 1: /rɛ/
Onset: R
Nucleus: E
Syllable 2: /və/
Onset: V
Nucleus: A
Syllable 3: /lu/
Onset: L
Nucleus: U
Syllable 4: /ʃən/
Onset: (none)
Nucleus: A
Setting Up Syllables
Identify the vowels and create nuclei.
Determine if consonants can be included in onset.
Fill up the coda with remaining sounds.
Example: "manatee"
Nuclei: A, A, E
Onset structure: Fill in with preceding consonants where applicable.
Language Variation
English Example: "ski" (allowed onset)
Spanish Example: "ski" (not allowed onset, results in different syllable structure)
Aspirated Sounds in English
Aspiration occurs in the onset of syllables with primary stress.