The Syllable

Lecturer: Tiaiba Imane

Syllable: is a unit of pronunciation typically larger than a single sound and
smaller than a word.

Consider the following examples:

“card” /ka:d/ includes one syllable composed of a vowel /a:/ and preceding and following
consonants /k, d/.
“car” /ka:/ includes one syllable composed of a vowel /a:/ and a preceding consonant /k/.

“is” /I:z/ includes one syllable composed of a vowel /I:/ and a following consonant /z/.

“are” /a:/ includes one syllable (a minimum syllable) composed of the vowel /a:/.

Accordingly, syllable s must include a vowel,

may have consonants preceding and following that vowel.
The different possibilities of the structure of a syllable can be represented as follows:
(C) V (C)
 Syllable Types
word transcription Syllable Type of
structure syllables
card /ka:d/ CVC Typical

car /ka:/ CV open

arch /a:t∫/ VC closed
are /a:/ V minimal
4.1 The Syllable Nucleus:

 If a syllable has no onset, then any vowel can be nucleus except /ʊ/
 If a syllable has no coda, then any vowel can be necleus except /æ, ɒ, ʌ, e/
4.2 The Syllable Onset
 If the onset begins with one consonant, then it can be any consonant except
/ʒ, ŋ/
 If the onset begins with two or three consonants, such a sequence of
consonants is called consonant cluster:
Onset
 eg play, street, split etc. CCC
 The maximum number of consonant
 cluster in the onset is three CCC as (C1)Pre- (C3)Post
(C2)Initial
initial initial
shown: