The Linguistic Structure of Modern English | Brinton & Brinton

CHAPTER 3
English Phonology, Phonotactics, and
Suprasegmentals

Exercise 3.5 Syllabification

1. Syllabify the following words, using periods to indicate syllable breaks. Note
ambisyllabicity.
1. aroma 10. temperate 19. insinuate
2. algebra 11. whiskey 20. nightingale
3. advocate 12. integrity 21. instrument
4. kangaroo 13. appropriate 22. exclamation
5. obstinate 14. seclusion 23. already
6. codify 15. arithmetic 24. condemnation
7. altitude 16. discipline 25. esthetic
8. duplicate 17. periodic
9. geometry 18. banana

Hide Key

1. a.rom.a/a.ro.ma

2. al.ge.bra (al.geb.ra) *lg not a possible initial cluster

3. ad.vo.cate (ad.voc.ate) *dv not a possible initial cluster

4. kan.ga.roo *ng not a possible initial cluster

5. ob.sti.nate (ob.stin.ate) *bst not a possible initial cluster

6. cod.i.fy/co.di.fy (co.dif.y/cod.if.y)

7. al.ti.tude (al.tit.ude) *lt not a possible initial cluster

8. du.pli.cate/dup.li.cate (du.plic.ate/dup.lic.ate)

9. ge.o.me.try/ge.om.e.try (ge.om.et.ry/ge.o.met.ry)

10. tem.per.ate/tem.pe.rate *mp not a possible initial cluster

11. whi.skey/whis.key
12. in.teg.ri.ty/in.te.gri.ty (in.teg.rit.y/in.te.grit.y)

13. a.ppro.pri.ate/a.pprop.ri.ate

14. se.clu.sion/se.clus.ion
15. a.rith.me.tic (a.rith.met.ic) *θm not a possible initial cluster

16. di.sci.pline/disc.i.pline (di.scip.line/disc.ip.line)

17. per.i.o.dic/pe.ri.o.dic (per.i.od.ic/pe.ri.od.ic)

18. ba.na.na/ba.nan.a

19. in.sin.u.ate/in.si.nu.ate *ns not a possible initial cluster

20. nigh.ten.gale/night.en.gale *ng not a possible initial cluster

21. in.stru.ment (in.strum.ent) *ns not a possible initial cluster

22. ek.skla.ma.tion/ek.skl.mat.ion (x = ks)

23. al.rea.dy/al.read.y *lr not a possible initial cluster

24. con.dem.na.tion/con.dem.nat.ion
25. es.thet.ic/es.the.tic *sθ not a possible initial cluster