The syllabic structure in English LECTURE 5

Outline The notion of syllable Theories on syllable formation and division The structure of syllables in English Types of syllables Syllable division in English

What is a syllable? Vowel +Consonant? Consonant + Vowel? Consonant+Vowel+Consonant? Some other combinations?

“extra” – divide into syllables? [e.kstrə]? [ekstr.ə]? [ek.strə]? [eks.trə]? [ekst.rə]? a problem? Do you know anything about the structure of syllable?

What are the rules of syllable formation and division? The Expiratory theory The Sonority theory Theory of muscular tension The Loudness theory

There are as many syllables as there are vowels. Drawbacks? Point of view There are as many syllables as there are vowels. Drawbacks?

The expiratory (chest pulse or pressure) theory by R.H. Stetson. Raymond Herbert Stetson (1872-1950) was Professor of Psychology at Oberlin College. Expiration – pulsating process Each syllable – a single expiration

The sonority theory OTTO JESPERSEN 1860-1943, Danish linguist with French as his principal subject and Latin and English as his minor subjects, Professor of English Language and Literature at Copenhagen University 1893-1925.

<the least sonorous> voiceless plosives → voiced plosives →voiceless fricatives → voiced fricatives → sonorants → close vowels → open vowels < the most sonorous> ptk bdg fθsʃ vðzʒ mnŋ lɹjw iu aɔ “melt” - how many syllables? “metal” – how many syllables?

sudden ʌ n S d

(1880 –1944) Russian linguist specializing in phonetics and phonology. The theory of muscular tension or “Arc of articulatory tension” theory by L.V. Shcherba (1880 –1944) Russian linguist specializing in phonetics and phonology.

The center of the syllable – vowel or sonorant; Marginal phonemes follow or precede it – they constitute an arc. a a a

What’s the difference? an aim vs a name an ice house vs a nice house I saw the meat vs I saw them eat

an aim vs a name Finally strong Finally weak Double peaked Types of consonants characterized by different distribution of muscular tension. Finally strong Finally weak Double peaked an aim vs a name

The loudness theory by N.I. Zhinkin Николай Иванович Жинкин (1893- 1979) — советский лингвист и психолог. Занимался исследованиями психологических и психофизиологических механизмов порождения речевых высказываний, процессов восприятия, понимания и порождения текста как целостного психолингвистического явления. Разрабатывал психологические проблемы речевой коммуникации, понимания текста, развития речи учащихся. Заложил основы отечественной психолингвистики.

The loudness theory by N.I. Zhinkin The arc of loudness the pharyngeal passage the narrowing of the passage → Thus, 1) a syllable – the arc of loudness which correlates with the arc of articulatory effort. 2) A syllable – a phonetic unit pronounced by one articulatory effort accompanied by one muscular contraction, which results acoustically and auditory in one uninterrupted arc of loudness.

mistake

Approaches to define a syllable Syllable – reveals linguistic function. Features of the Syllable: Syllable – purely articulatory unit. Boundaries of syllables do not coincide with those of morphemes. e.g. [seil -ə] – morphological structure [ sei - lə] – phonetic structure

The structure of syllable in English The syllable onset – me, so Nucleus The syllable coda – cat, jump Rhyme – the combination of nucleus and coda.

dog Ó onset rhyme nucleus coda d o g

sprint Ó onset rhyme s p r nucleus coda I n t

Types of syllable V (8%) – uncovered open, e.g. I, oh VC (15%) – uncovered closed, e.g. all CVC (34%) – covered closed, e.g. man CV (30%) – covered open, e.g. be V type – fully open, e.g. be CVC – fully closed. CV – initially covered VC – fully covered CVCC (6%)

Syllabic structures CS type – 40 combinations – garden [ga:dn] CSC type – 90 combinations – opens [əupnz] CSCC type – 15 combinations – innocents [inəs(ə)nts] CCSCC – 1 combination – emigrants [emigrənts]

Types of syllables Heavy syllables – bee, bay, bag Light syllables - beloved

Syllable division Maximum CC in stressed syllable – window [wind-əu]; lady [leid-i] Maximum onset principle – -[win-dəu]; [lei-di]

Maximum onset principle extreme [ikstr. i:m] or [i. kstri:m]? coda? onset? Maximum onset principle [ik. stri:m] Ó Ó Onset rhyme onset rhyme nucleus coda nucleus coda I k s t r i: m

Syllabification in English Apple epic [æ. pl] [ e. pik] Native speakers Ap. pl ep.pic Ó Ó Onset rhyme onset rhyme nucleus coda nucleus coda e p I k

Resyllabification have it [ hæ. vit] Ó Ó onset rhyme onset rhyme Ó Ó onset rhyme onset rhyme nucleus coda nucleus coda h æ v I t

Resyllabification Peter and Mary [pi:. tə. rənd. mæ. ri] Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó onset rhyme onset rhyme onset rhyme onset rhyme nucleus coda nucleus coda nucleus coda p i: t ə r ə nd m æ

Rules of syllable division based on the electroacoustic analysis. e.g. dis-place; CVCV e.g. [fa:-mə]; CVCV e.g. city [sit-ti]; CSCV e.g. inner [in-ə]; Diphthongs are unisyllabic, triphthongs – disyllabic; In multisyllable words – principle of max.onset – approve [ə-pru:v]

Thank you for attention