SHORT ESSAY

ENGLISH SYLLABLES

Syllables define as any of the units into which a word is divided containing a
vowel sound and usually one or more consonants. It also defines as unit of
organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is
composed of two syllables: ‘wa’ and ‘ter’. Syllables exist to make the speech stream
easier for the human mind to process. A syllable comprises one or more segments;
segments are the building blocks for syllables.

Syllable structures in English contain two main parts which are onset and
rhyme. Onset is part that precedes the nucleus and initial segment of a syllable
meanwhile rhyme is a core of syllable that consists of nucleus and coda. Nucleus is
often highly resonant sounds and a central segment of a syllable which is usually a
vowel. While coda is closing segment of a syllable but not all syllable had coda.
Syllable that had two or more consonant without a vowel called consonant cluster,
syllable that does not has vowel. For instance, /sp/ and /ts/ in sports. There are two
types of consonant cluster, /s/ followed by one of a small set of consonants and /l/,
/r/, /w/ and/j/ followed by one of a small set of consonants.

Besides that, syllable also divided into strong and weak syllable whereas
strong syllable were stressed syllable while weak syllable were unstressed syllable.
Furthermore, strong syllable can have a coda when the vowel is one of /ı, e, æ, ʌ, ɒ,
ʊ /. It is different from weak syllable because weak syllable tend to be shorter and
lower in loudness. In weak syllable there are four types of centre which are schwa,
close front unrounded vowel in the general area of /i:/ and /I/, close back rounded
vowel in the general area of /u:/ and /ʊ/ and syllabic consonant. Many syllables in
English were weak syllable so is necessary for us to know how these weak syllables
pronounced and occur in English.

Weak and strong form of syllable can often found when they occur at the end
of a word, contrasted with another word and stressed for emphasis or being quoted.
Weak form can also define as stress-timed language meaning the stressed syllables
are equal in timing. This happen when we tend to “squash” or compress other

3
syllables or words occurring between stresses to keep less regular rhythm. Learning
weak form can help improve our production of spoken English.

Thus, we can say that syllable had three sub topics that ought to be learnt.
First we need to know structure of syllable in English, strong and weak syllable and
the last one is weak form to ensure we speak fluently in English and can be
understand by others.

(453 words)