Syllable: definition and types of syllables in English.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 2122.

The syllable is the smallest non-interrupted unit of articulation. It is the smallest pronunciation unit. It is also the smallest perceptible unit. The two main phonological types of sounds - vowels and consonants fulfil different functions in speech. The function of a vowel is to occupy the central position; = they are always syllabic. Consonants are incapable of forming syllables without vowels except sonorous consonants [n, l, r, m] (can be syllabic because of their strong vocalic features).

Garden [ga:-dn], needn't [ni:-dnt].

Syllable - a structural unit, which consists of a vowel alone or of a vowel surrounded by consonants.

Phonetic theories:

- The expiratory or chest pulse theory - defines the syllable as 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 (expirations) made during the utterance of the word.

- The relative sonority theory (Jesphersen). Each sound is characterized by a certain degree of sonority. In a syllable the most sonorous sounds tend to form the center of the syllable and the least sonorous - the marginal segments. The number of syllables is determined by the number of peaks of sonorities (melt-monosyllabic, metal [metl]-2 syllables.

- The muscular tension theory (Shcherba). A syllable is characterized by variations in muscular tension. The energy of articulation increases at the beginning of a syllable, reaches its maximum with the vowel (or the sonant) and decreases towards the end of the syllable.
4 types of syllables:

1) open syllables (CV-consonant+vowel), when there is no consonant after the vowel. (tie, far)

2) closed syllables (VC), when the vowel is followed by a consonant (art,sit)

3) covered syllables (CV(C), when the vowel is preceded by a consonant (say,like).

4) uncovered syllables (V(C), there is no consonant before the vowel (eat, eight)

Syllable formation in English is based on the phonological opposition of vowels (always syllabic) and consonants (non-syllable and marginal).

Syllable division:

- syllable division after long vowels and diphthongs ('pi:/ pl], [pei \ pe]

- division comes after the consonant which follows the short vowel [let \ e ], [sit \ i] [fai \ e]

Extra [ek/s/t/ra] – the best variant.

Functions: constitutive, 2. distinctive, 3. identificatory.
Stressis the relative emphasis that may be given to certain syllables in a word. The location of the stress depends on the distribution of heavy syllables, as well as location in the word. So, English makes distinction between heavy (long vowels, more prominent) and light (short vowels) syllables