UNIT 1: THE SYLLABLE Flashcards
The objective of Unit 1 is to recognize and produce English syllable structures, compare them with Spanish, predict pronunciation difficulties, and apply strategies like substitution, epenthesis, and elision. Students will also analyze prominence in strong and weak syllables.
What is a syllable?
💡 A syllable is a basic unit of pronunciation that organizes sounds in speech. It usually contains a vowel sound.
A syllable is a group of sounds with one vowel as its core. Every word has at least one syllable!
👉 Example:
cat → 1 syllable
water → 2 syllables (wa-ter)
elephant → 3 syllables (el-e-phant)
What are the main parts of a syllable?
💡 A syllable has three possible parts:
Onset → consonants before the vowel
Nucleus → the vowel (ALWAYS present)
Coda → consonants after the vowel
👉 Example:
cat → c (onset), a (nucleus), t (coda)
eat → Ø (no onset), ea (nucleus), t (coda)
I → Ø (no onset), I (nucleus), Ø (no coda)
How can native speakers recognize syllables?
Even if they can’t define syllables, they can count them. For example, children clap for each syllable:
👉 ba-na-na
How do speech errors show syllable structure?
People often switch sounds in a way that keeps syllables intact. Example:
👉 Po-ta-to instead of Po-tay-to 🍠
How does rhyme depend on syllables?
💡 Words rhyme when they share the nucleus + coda:
✔️ cat – hat (same ending /æt/) 🐱🎩
❌ cat – cab (different codas)
What are the three main parts of a syllable?
- Onset – Consonants before the vowel
- Nucleus – The vowel (always present)
- Coda – Consonants after the vowel
What is the “rhyme” in a syllable?
💡 The nucleus + coda together make the rhyme.
🔹 Examples of syllable structure:
👉 cat /kæt/ → Onset: /k/, Nucleus: /æ/, Coda: /t/ 🐱
👉 see /siː/ → Onset: /s/, Nucleus: /iː/ (open syllable) 👀
👉 ask /æsk/ → No onset, Nucleus: /æ/, Coda: /sk/ ❓
👉 spring /sprɪŋ/ → Onset: /spr/, Nucleus: /ɪ/, Coda: /ŋ/ 🌱
What are the two types of syllables?
🟢✅ Open syllables end in a vowel (e.g., see [siy] 🏖️).
🔴❌Closed syllables end in a consonant (e.g., sit [sɪt] 🪑).
📌 Example:
“go” → open (CV)
“cat” → closed (CVC)
Open syllables: A syllable with NO coda (ends in a vowel sound). 👉 Example: me, go
Closed syllables: A syllable with a coda (ends in a consonant sound). 👉 Example: cat → closed, dog → closed
How do open syllables affect vowel quality?
💡 Open syllables often make vowels sound weaker:
👉 happy → The second syllable is /i/ (not /ɪ/). 😊
What are the four characteristics of vowel quality?
1️⃣Height – High (/iː/ in see) vs. Low (/æ/ in cat)
2️⃣ Backness – Front (/iː/ in see) vs. Back (/uː/ in food)
3️⃣Roundness – Rounded (/uː/ in food) vs. Unrounded (/iː/ in see)
4️⃣Tenseness – Tense (/iː/ in see) vs. Lax (/ɪ/ in bit)
How do stressed syllables affect speech? 🎙️
The stressed syllable can change word meaning:
👉 re’cord (verb) vs. ‘record (noun) 🎵
What is phonotactics?
💡 It rules which sounds can be together:
✔️ Allowed: str- (street)
❌ Not allowed: mt- (no words start like this in English)
How do syllables affect connected speech?
💡 In fast speech, syllables change:
👉 I am going to → /aɪəmgənə/
What is a rhyme?
The rhyme includes the nucleus + coda.
👉 Example:
cat → at is the rhyme
day → ay is the rhyme
win → in is the rhyme
Words rhyme if they share the same nucleus + coda!
👉 Example:
cat and hat rhyme (both end in -at).
play and day rhyme (-ay).
Can any sound appear in any position in a syllable?
❌ No! Different languages have phonotactic rules that allow or block some sounds in different positions.
👉 Example in English:
/ŋ/ (as in sing) can be in the coda (bang ✅) but never in the onset (ŋar ❌).
What is a consonant cluster?
💡 A group of consonants together in the onset or coda. 👉 Example:
Onset clusters: sp- in spot, str- in street
Coda clusters: -nd in hand, -ks in texts
✅ A group of consonants together in a syllable.
There are two types:
1️⃣ Initial cluster (beginning): “spit” 🗣️ → /sp/
2️⃣ Final cluster (end): “tests” 📚 → /sts/
📌 Examples:
“play” → /pl/
“trust” → /st/
What is the maximum number of consonants in an English onset?
💡 Three! (like str- in street) 👉 Example:
split → /spl-/ (3 consonants) ✅
gnome → /gn-/ (2 consonants) ✅
bdog → /bd-/ (not allowed ❌)
What is a phonotactic template?
A pattern that tells us what sounds can appear in which positions.
👉 Example in English:
Onsets:
✅ /sp-/ (spot), /tr-/ (train), /pl-/ (play)
❌ /bd-/, /tk-/, /dl-/ (not possible in English)
Codas:
✅ /-nd/ (hand), /-st/ (best)
❌ /-dl/, /-tm/ (not possible in English)
Can all languages have the same syllables?
❌No! Different languages have different phonotactic rules.
👉 Example:
English: Allows up to 3 consonants in onset (like splash).
Polish: Allows up to 5 consonants in onset (like pstrąg).
Why is “blick” possible in English but “bnick” is not?
Because English allows /bl-/ but not /bn-/ at the beginning of a word.
👉 Example:
blick (✅ possible, follows English rules)
bnick (❌ not possible, /bn-/ is not allowed)
Why should we study syllables?
Because syllables affect pronunciation, stress, and rhythm in speech!
👉 Example:
Knowing syllables helps with breaking words down (com-fort-a-ble → /ˈkʌmf.tɚ.bəl/).
It helps in phonetic transcription and learning stress patterns.
Why do some language learners add extra vowels?
✅ Some languages don’t allow closed syllables, so speakers add vowels.
📌 Examples:
Japanese speakers: “street” → sutorīto 🏙️
Spanish speakers: “school” → escuela 🏫
What are two common pronunciation mistakes with consonant clusters?
✅ 1. Inserting vowels
Example: “street” → sutorito 🚗 (Japanese speakers)
✅ 2. Deleting consonants
Example: “green” → geen 🌿 (Cantonese speakers)
Why do people drop final consonants in informal speech?
✅ It makes words easier to pronounce in fast speech.
📌 Examples:
“last” → “las” 🏁
“friend” → “fren” 👫
What’s the difference between strong and weak syllables?
✅ Strong syllables are louder and clearer. 🎤
✅ Weak syllables are softer and often contain schwa (ə).
📌 Examples:
“banana” → ba-na-na 🍌 (middle “na” = weak, schwa sound)
“sofa” → so-fa 🛋️ (“fa” is weak)
What are syllabic consonants?
✅ Consonants that act like vowels in a syllable.
📌 Examples:
/n/ → “button” → bʌtn̩ 🧵
/r/ → “history” → hɪstri 📜
When do we use syllabic consonants?
✅ After plosives (p, t, k) or nasals (m, n).
📌 Examples:
“threaten” → θrɛtn̩ ⚠️
“wagon” → wægən
What is the schwa sound? 🤔
Schwa is a weak vowel sound, represented by /ə/.
It appears in weak syllables (less stressed parts of words).
Example: “banana” → The “a” in the second syllable is pronounced as schwa.
Why is it important to know how to pronounce weak syllables, including schwa?
Knowing how to pronounce weak syllables helps make speech clearer and more natural. It’s foundational for understanding other phonetic concepts. For example, saying “supply” with a clear schwa sound in the second syllable helps listeners understand the word.
Why is Schwa Important? 📚
Schwa helps in clear communication.
It makes speech sound more natural.
Most phonetics topics depend on understanding schwa.
Example: In the sentence “A particular problem of the boat was a leak”, the schwa sound appears in the weak syllables.
What is Sonority? 🎤
Sonority is how loud or clear a sound is.
Sonority Scale: Vowels > Semi-vowels > Liquids > Nasals > Fricatives > Stops.
Example: In “bat”, the “a” is louder than “b” and “t”.
What is a Syllabic Nucleus? 🌟
The nucleus is the core of a syllable, usually a vowel.
It is the most sonorous part of a syllable.
Example: In “cat”, the “a” is the nucleus.
What are Onset + Nucleus Syllables? 🐱
Onset + Nucleus: Syllables with a consonant at the beginning and a vowel in the middle.
- Example (English): “cat” → “c” is the onset, “a” is the nucleus.
- Example (Spanish): “mesa” → “m” is the onset, “e” is the nucleus.
What is Stress in English? 🔊
Stress is the emphasis placed on certain syllables or words in a sentence. Stressed syllables are louder, longer, and higher in pitch.
Example: In “record” (as a noun), the stress is on the first syllable: RE-cord.
- Why is Rhythm important in English? 🥁
Rhythm helps English sound more natural and fluent. It affects the flow and understanding of speech.
Example: In the phrase “I need some help,” the rhythm emphasizes the stressed words.
What is Intonation? 🎶
Answer: Intonation is the rise and fall of pitch in speech. It helps convey emotion and meaning.
Example: A rising intonation at the end of a question: “Are you coming?”
- How does Intonation affect meaning? 💬
Intonation can change the meaning of a sentence, making it either a question, a statement, or an exclamation.
Example: “You’re coming.” (statement) vs. “You’re coming?” (question).
What is Rhythm in English? 🕒
Rhythm refers to the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in speech.
Example: English has a stress-timed rhythm, meaning some syllables are stressed at regular intervals, and others are shorter.
How do Consonant Clusters affect pronunciation? 🔍
Consonant clusters can be difficult to pronounce, especially for non-native speakers.
Example: In “twelfth,” the “tw” and “lfth” clusters are challenging.
What is Linking? 🔗
Linking is the smooth connection of sounds between words in a sentence.
Example: “I am going to eat” becomes “I’m goin’ to eat.”
Why is Linking important? 🔄
Linking makes speech sound more natural and fluent by connecting words seamlessly.
Example: In the phrase “She is going,” the “is” and “going” are linked to sound like “She’s goin’.”
What is Elision? 🚫
Elision is the omission of sounds or syllables in fast or casual speech.
Example: “I’m gonna” instead of “I am going to.”
