STRONG AND WEAK SYLLABLES

Weak Syllables: (unstressed syllables in a word)

Terdapat 4 jenis weak syllables:

• 1. Schwa /ә /
• 2. /u:/ and /u/ (long /u/ and short /u/)
• 3. /i:/ and /I/ (long /i/ and short /i/)
• 4. Syllabic consonants ( /n/, /l/, /r/, /m/, /ɳ/)
 STRONG AND
WEAK SYLLABLES
 WHAT IS A SYLLABLE?

 A syllable is a rhythmic unit of speech. Syllables

make it easier for the human mind to process the
speech stream. A syllable is made up of one or
more segments; segments are the building
blocks for syllables.
 THE SYLLABLE IS A
PHONOLOGICAL UNIT

 A syllable is a unit of organization for a

sequence of speech sounds.

For example, the word water is composed

of two syllables: wa and ter .
STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABLE

A syllable is typically made up of a nucleus (most often a

vowel ) with optional initial and final margins

(consonant) + VOWEL + (consonant)

TYPES OF SYLLABLES

SYLLABLES

STRONG WEAK
STRONG SYLLABLES
NUCLEUS

STRONG VOWEL
/A: { V e 3: i: O: Q
u: /

SOME WEAK
VOWELS
/IU/

DIPHTHONGS
/aI eI OI aU @U
I@ e@ U@/

TRIPHTHONG
/ai@ eI@ OI@
aU@ @U@ /
WEAK SYLLABLES
NUCLEUS


The vowel schwa /@ /

a close front
unrounded vowel
in the general area of /
i: / and / I /

a close back rounded

vowel
in the general area of /
u: / and / ʊ /

a syllabic consonant /
l1 n1 m1 r1 N1 /
SCHWA AND SPELLING

Spelt with “a”; strong pronuciation would be /æ/

attend / ə′tend /
character /′kærəktə /
barracks / ′bærəks /

Spelt with“ar”; strong pronuciation would have /ɑ:/

particular / pə′tIkjələ /
molar /′məʊlə/
monarchy/′mQnəki/
Adjectival endings “ate”; strong pronunciation would be /eI/
intimate / ′IntImət /
accurate / ′ækjərət /
desolate /′desələt /

Spelt with “o”; strong pronunciation would have /Q/

tomorrow /tə′mQrəʊ /
potato / pə′teItəʊ /
carrot / ′kærət /

Spelt with “or”; strong pronunciation would have /ɔ:/

forget / fə′get /
ambassador / æm′bæsədə /
opportunity / ,Qpə′tju:nItI /

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

Spelt with “e”; strong pronunciation would have /e /
settlement /′setlmənt /
violet /′vaI@lət /
postman /′pəʊstmən /

Spelt with “er”; strong pronunciation would have /ɜ:/

perhaps / pə′hæps /
superman /′su:pəmæn /

Spelt with “ ough” ( there are other pronunciation of

the letter sequence “ ough” )
borough / ′bʌrə /
thorough / ′θʌrə /

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

Spelt with “u”; strong form would have /ʌ /

autumn / ′ɔ:təm /
support / sə′pɔ:t /

Spelt with “ ous”

gracious /′greIʃəs /
callous / ′kæləs /

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

close front vowel /i:/ /I/
easy busy
/i:zi:/ /bIzi:/
/i:zI/ /bIzI/
/i:zi/ /bIzi/

happy valley
/hæpi/ /væli/

happier easiest
/hæpiə/ /i:ziəst /

hurrying
/hʌriIŋ /
Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián
 close back vowel /u://ʊ/
 Weak syllables with /u://ʊ/ are not so
common.
 Their most frequent occurrence is in the
words “ you” , “ into”, “ to”, “ do”,when
they are unstressed and followed by a
vowel
 into a big room
 /Intu @ bIg ru:m/
 and “ through” and “ who” in all positions
when they are unstressed
Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián
close front vowel /i:/ /I/

/I /
/i:zI/ /bIzI/

/i:/
/i:zi:/ /bIzi:/

RP /i:zi/ /bIzi/
Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián
 SYLLABIC CONSONANT

CONSONANT THAT FUNCTIONS AS

CENTRAL ELEMENT OF THE SYLLABLE

［ n1 l1 m11 N1 r1 ］

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

 SYLLABIC [ l1 ]
 It occurs after another consonant
 When in spelling there is:

 “le” couple trouble

[ kVpl1] [trVbl1]

 “el” panel Babel

[p{nl1] [beIbl1]
 “al” pedal papal
[pedl1] [peIpl1]

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

 SYLLABIC [ n1 ]
Most common after:
 alveolar plosives / t / /d /
eaten sudden but happen bacon
[i:tn1] [sVdn1] [h{p@n][beIk@n]
 fricatives
seven isn’t television
[sevn1] [Izn1t] [tel@vIZn1]

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

 SYLLABIC [ n1 ]
Rarely used after:
 affricates
pigeon Christian
[pIdZ@n] [krIstS@n]
 the lateral
sullen
[sVl@n]
 The sequence NASAL/ + PLOSIVE +NASAL
London Minton
[lVnd@n] [mInt@n]
Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián
 SYLLABIC [ m1 N1 ]
 They can occur as syllabic, but only as a
result of assimilation and elision

happen thicken
[h{p@n] [TIk@n]
[h{p@n1] [TIk@n]
[h{pm1] [TIkN1]

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

 SYLLABIC [ r1 ]

 Less common in RP than in American accents

History
[hIst@ri] not very frequent
[hIstr1i] (3 syllables)
[hIstri] (2 syllables)

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

 COMBINATION OF SYLLABIC
CONSONANTS
 Not very frequent in RP

national veteran
[n{Sn1l1] [vetr1n1]
[n{Sn1@l] more frequent in RP [vet@r@n]

Lic. M. Daniela Farré de Julián

 Weak Forms: Unstressed Syllables
(Suku kata yang tidak mendapat stress)
Ada 3 kategori vowels:
1. Vowel Schwa /ә/ (vowel ini tidak pernah di-stress).

Contoh:
• 1.
SYLLABIC CONSONANTS:

1. Syllabic /l/
Contoh: kata muddle /mɅdl/, tunnel /tɅnl/

Consonant /l/ di kata-kata tersebut disebut dengan syllabic consonant /l/

(/l/ mewakili satu suku kata (syllable), maka /l/ disebut dengan syllabic
consonant.

Kata muddle /…./ = 2 suku kata (two syllables= ma dan dl)