TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Foreign Languages

Division of Linguistics - Culture - Literature

PHONETICS & PHONOLOGY - 001199

CHAPTER 6: THE SYLLABLE

Lecturer: Ho Phuong Thao

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 1
 BRIEFING
6.1. The nature of the syllable
6.2. The structure of the English syllable
6.3. Syllabic consonants

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 2

6.1. THE NATURE OF THE SYLLABLE

• Syllable: a single unit of speech, having one vowel with or

without surrounding consonants, forming the whole or a part
of a word.
• Ex: “book”: 1 syllable
“reading”: 2 syllables
“entertain”: 3 syllables
“entertainment”: 4 syllables

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 3

6.1. THE NATURE OF THE SYLLABLE

• A minimum syllable: a single vowel in isolation.

Ex: “a” /ə/
“err” /ɜː/
“are” /ɑː/
• Some syllables have an/some onset(s): the consonant preceding
the vowel.
Ex: “car” /kɑː/
“more” /mɔː/
“square” /skweə /
30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 4
6.1. THE NATURE OF THE SYLLABLE

• Some syllables have no onset but have one or more coda:

consonants following the vowel.
Ex: “am” /æm/
“ink” /ɪŋk/
• Some syllables have both onset and coda:
Ex: “ran” /ræn/
“fill” /fɪl/

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 5

 6.2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE

• If the syllable begins with a vowel -> zero onset

Ex: apple /ˈæpəl/ : the first syllable has zero onset.
about /əˈbaut/: the first syllable has zero onset.
“ink” /ɪŋk/

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 6

 6.2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE
• Two or more consonants together before vowel -> consonant cluster
• Onset structure:
Pre-initial consonant + initial consonant + post-initial consonant

• “s” + the other consonants: “s” is called pre-initial consonant, the

other consonant is called initial consonant.
Ex: sting /stɪŋ/
smoke /sməuk /
• Consonants + “l, r, w, j”: the first consonant is the initial consonant,
the second consonant is post-initial
Ex: play /pleɪ/
quick /kwɪk/
30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 7
 6.2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE
• If there is no final consonant -> zero coda
Ex: pay /peɪ/
grow /grəu/
• When there is one consonant after the vowel -> final consonant
(except “h, w, j”)
• Coda structure: Two or more final consonants -> final cluster
Pre-final consonant + final consonant + post-final consonant
m, n, ŋ, l ,s s, z, t, d, θ

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 8

 6.2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE

Coda structure:

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 9

 6.2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE

Coda structure:

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 10

 6.2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE

Coda structure:

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 11

 6.3. SYLLABIC CONSONANTS
• Syllabic consonants: the syllable consists of NO vowel, a consonant
(l, r, or nasals) stands as the peak of the syllable -> weak syllables.
• Syllabic l Cattle couple Bottle Panel

• Syllabic n Threaten Eaten Heaven Happen

• Syllabic m, ŋ Uppermost Thicken

• Syllabic r Preference particular

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 12
 Home Assignment

• [1] pp. 73-88

• [2] pp. 4-51

30-Jul-20 001199: Chapter 6 13