Plan:

1. What is the theories of syllable mean

2. The mechanism of syllabic formation
3. The syllable is a complicated phenomenon

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 Theories of syllable structure often assume a maximal syllable size for a
given language. Syllables within this size are in principle good. For example, if the
maximal size is CCVCC, then CVCC, CCVC, CVC, and CV are generally good.
Analysis.
The syllable is a complicated phenomenon and like a phoneme it can be
studied on four levels – articulatory, acoustic, auditory and functional. The
complexity of the phenomenon gave rise to many theories. We could start with the
so-called expiratory (chest pulse or pressure) theory. This theory is based on the
assumption that expiration in speech is a pulsating process and each syllable
should correspond to a single expiration. So the number of syllables in an
utterance is determined by the number of expirations made in the production of
the utterance. This theory was strongly criticized by Russian and foreign linguists.
Trask [4], for example, wrote that in a phrase a number of words and consequently
a number of syllables can be pronounced with a single expiration. This fact makes
the validity of the theory doubtful. Another theory of syllable put forward by O.
Jespersen is generally called the sonority theory. Each sound is characterized by a
certain degree of sonority which is understood us acoustic property of a sound that
determines its perceptibility. According to this sound property a ranking of speech
sounds could be established [1]: <the least sonorous> voiceless plosives  voiced
fricatives voiced plosives  voiced fricatives  sonorants  close vowels open
vowels <the most sonorous>. In the word plant for example we may use the
following wave of sonority: [pla:nt]. The most serious drawback of this theory is
that it fails to explain the actual mechanism of syllable formation and syllable
division. Besides, the concept of sonority is not very clearly defined. Further
experimental work aimed to description of the syllable resulted in lot of other
theories. However, the question of articulatory mechanism of syllable is a stil…
view is defended on the ground that the boundaries of syllables do not always
coincide with those of morphemes.
2. However the majority of linguists treat the syllable as the smallest
pronounceable unit which can reveal some linguistic function. Trying to define the

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syllable from articulatory point of view we may talk about universals. When we
mean the functional aspect of the syllable it should be defined with the reference
to the structure of one particular language.
The definition of the syllable from the functional point of view tends to single out
the following features of the syllable [4]:
a) a syllable is a chain of phonemes of varying length;
b) a syllable is constructed on the basis of contrast of its
constituents (which is usually of vowel - consonant type);
c) the nucleus of a syllable is a vowel, the presence of consonants is optional;
there are no languages in which vowels are not used as syllable nuclei, however,
there are languages in which this function is performed by consonants;
d) the distribution of phonemes in the syllabic structure follows by the rules which
are specific enough for a particular language.
To explain the mechanism of syllabic formation several theories have been
produced.
1)The most ancient theory states that there are as many syllables as there are
vowels. But it doesn’t take into consideration that consonants can also form
syllables.
2) The expiratory theory- as many syllables as there are expiratory pulses. It is
inconsistent because it is possible to pronounce several syllables in exhalation.
3) A more popular theory- the relative sonority theory. Here the term sonority has
another meaning. It is the carrying power of the sounds, their perceptibility.
Although they are heard by the same normal pitch and force of utterance, they have
different physical properties. Prof O. Jespersen proved that there are different
degrees of sonority and established the scale of prominence: 1. Low v /a:, o:, o/; 2.
Mid v /e, ^/; 3. High v /i:, I, u:, u/; 4. Semi-v /w,j/; 5. Sonorants /l, r, m, n, ng/; 6.
Voiced constrictive cons /v, z, 3/; 7. Voiced plosive cons /b, d, g/; 8. Voiceless
constrictive cons /d3, f, sh/; 9. Voiceless plosive cons /p, t, k/. The most sonorous
are back vowels, then semi-v and sonorants, then voiced and voiceless cons.
Sounds are grouped around the most sonorous tones- they form the peak of

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sonority in a syllable. Disadvantages: the theory fails to explain the mechanism of
syllabic division, it does not state to which syll the weak sound of the boundary
belongs.
4) L.V. Shcherba applied the muscular tension theory and the three types of
consonants theory. He explained the phenomenon of syllable formation by
muscular tension impulses. Each impulse has its strongest point/the peak of
prominence and its weakest point/ the valley of prominence. Valleys of
prominence correspond to the points of syllabic division. Types of consonants: 1.
Initially strong (it, oath, add). The beginning of a cons is more energetic while the
end is weaker. The more energetic part of a cons is attached to a vowel so that
initially strong cons occur in the end of a closed syll, followed by short vowels. 2.
Finally strong (may, tea, new). The beginning of a cons is weak, the end- is more
energetic, occur at the beginning of a syll, followed by long vowels. 3.
Geminate/double (midday, what time). A cons is pronounced in such a way that
both the beginning and the end are energetic with a weakening of a muscular
tension in the middle. Acoustically give the impression of 2 cons.
5) “Loudness theory” by N.I. Zhinkin. He stated that syllables are to a rise and fall
of loudness. Loudness is regulated in the lower part of pharynx with the help of the
epiglottis. Zhinkin asserts that every phoneme possesses specific inherent
loudness, which manifests itself when the sounds are pronounces in sequences.
Syllables are due to “curves of loudness”. Syllabic phoneme possesses greater
inherent loudness. Loudness depends on the amplitude of sound waves. It should
be mixed with inherent sonority, which depends on the degree of noise and
muscular sound in phoneme.
There exist different theories expressing different points of view on syllable
formation and syllable division.
The most ancient theory states that there are as many syllable as there are vowels
in a word. The theory is primitive and insufficient because it doesn't take into
consideration the consonants which in some languages can be syllabic and
moreover the theory doesn't explain the boundaries between syllables.

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 Among the oldest theories is the so-called expiratory theory (chest-pulse).
According to this theory the syllable is a sound or a group of sounds that are
pronounced in one chest-pulse. There are as many syllables in a word as there are
chest-pulses made during the utterance of the word. Each vowel sound is
pronounced with increased expiration that's why vowel are always syllabic.
Boundaries between syllables occur in the places where there are changes in the air
pressure. The theory doesn't explain all the cases of syllable division, e.g. it is
doubtful that juxtaposed vowels are pronounced with a double chest-pulse, though
linguistically they are divided into 2 units. In the pronunciation of the word 'star'
there are 2 expiratory pulses (in the pronunciation of 's', 2 – pronunciation of 'tar'),
and yet the word is mono-syllabic.

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References

1. Jones Charles, 1997. The Edinburgh History of the Scots

Language, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
2. Ladefoged Peter, 1993. A Course in Phonetics (3rd edn). New
York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovitch.
3. Pinker Steven, 1994. The Language Instinct, London: Penguin.
4. Trask R.L., 1996. Historical Linguistics. London: Arnold.
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