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Understanding Syllabicity and Structure

The document covers essential topics related to syllable structure, including the components of syllables such as onset, peak, and coda, as well as the concept of syllabicity. It explains the differences between weak and strong syllables and words, highlighting their roles in sentence structure. Additionally, it discusses the conditions under which weak forms can be pronounced as strong forms.

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28 views2 pages

Understanding Syllabicity and Structure

The document covers essential topics related to syllable structure, including the components of syllables such as onset, peak, and coda, as well as the concept of syllabicity. It explains the differences between weak and strong syllables and words, highlighting their roles in sentence structure. Additionally, it discusses the conditions under which weak forms can be pronounced as strong forms.

Uploaded by

Anonimamente
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Topics that you need to know: syllable structure, syllabicity, weak syllables, weak

and strong forms

Oral 2

Syllables: A group of phonemes – a unit of analysis, separated by the vowel sound

Syllable structure: Rhyme

Onset Peak – Nucleus - Center Coda


Consonant Sounds Vowel Sound or Syllabic Consonant Sound
Consonant
Max N°, 3 Max N°, 4

Max Possible Elements: 3 (max) onset + 1 peak (max) + 4 coda (max)

Cluster: Group of consonant sounds (Two types pre-final + final) (final + post-final)

Onset: Consonant sounds before the peak (vowel) within a syllable

N°2 Consonant Cluster Pre-Initial: s – t – w – m

Initial + Post-Initial: L – w – j – r (post initial)

N°3 Consonant Cluster Pre-Initial: s – p – t – k: pre-initial + initial + L – r – w: Post- Initial

Pre-Final Elements: m – n – ŋ – L – s

Post-Final Elements: s – z – t – θ (plural and past tenses)

Rhyme: Peak + Coda

Peak: Vowel sound or Syllabic consonant

Coda: Consonant sounds after the peak within a syllable

Zero Coda: A syllable without coda

There are 4 types of Syllable Structure Onset


Onset + Peak + Coda /s/ Pre-initial
Onset + Peak /p/ Initial
Peak + Coda Peak

Only Peak /ɔː/

Example Coda

CCVCC /t/ final


s p ɔː t s
/s/ post-final
Topics that you need to know: syllable structure, syllabicity, weak syllables, weak
and strong forms

Syllabicity

Omit the schwa, some consonants and make the next consonant sound syllabic

Syllabic consonant sounds ( m – n – ŋ – L – r )

Weak & Strong Syllables.

Strong Weak
Syllables Syllables
Longer in Shorter in
length length
Louder Lower
Intensity
Stressed Unstressed

Weak & Strong words:

Strong: Content Words that carry give meaning to a sentence (Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs,
Adverbs)

Weak: Function Words which string content words together and make the sentence
grammatically correct (Auxiliary Verbs, Prepositions, Articles, Conjunctions, Pronouns)

Weak Forms

Almost all of the words which have both a strong form and a weak form are function words.

Strong forms can be used when:

1- A weak-form word occurs at the end of the sentence. (“Chips are what I’m fond OF”)
2- When a weak-form word is being contrasted with another (“The letter’s FROM him,
not TO him”)
3- When a weak-form word is stressed for emphasis (“You MUST give me more money)
4- When a weak-form word is being cited or quoted (“You shouldn’t put “AND” at the
end of a sentence”)

When a weak-form whose spelling begins with “h” (“her, have”) is at the beginning of the
sentence, the pronunciation will be with initial /h/

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