Syllables English Âm tiết trong tiếng anh

Lecture 4
Syllables
• Definition

• The nature of syllables
• The structure of English syllables
• Strong and weak syllables
1


Definition
• Phonetically, a syllable is a unit which consists of a
vowel as the centre and/or consonant(s) before and
after it.
e.g.

Are 
No 
At 
Cat 

• A syllable can be part of a word or it can coincide
with a word.
2


The nature of syllables
• A minimum syllable is a single vowel in isolation

e.g.

are 

or 

err 

• Some syllables have an onset. That is they have more
than just silence preceding the centre of the syllable.

e.g.

my 

• Some syllables may have no onset but have a coda
(termination).

e.g.

on //

• Some syllabes have both an onset and a termination.

e.g.

meat //
3


Structure of English syllables
Syllable

Onset
(Optional)

Centre

Coda
(Optional)

4


Syllable onset
• If the first syllable of the word begins with
• A vowel → Zero Onset
e.g.

ease

our

• One consonant → initial consonant
e.g.

send

church

• Two or more consonants together → an initial
consonant cluster.

e.g.

clear

spring
5


Initial consonant clusters
1. Initial two-consonant clusters
•

Pre-initial /s/ + initial consonant
e.g. slight

•

smoke

Initial + post-initial /j, w, l, r/
e.g. queue

twin

try

2. Initial three-consonant cluster
•

Pre-initial /s/ + initial /p, k, t/ + post-initial /l, r, w, j/

e.g. scream
squid

stew
string

6


Syllable coda (termination)
•

If a syllable ends with:

• A vowel → zero termination
e.g.

no

car

• A consonant → final consonant
e.g.

meal

late

• More than one consonant → final consonant cluster

e.g.

ask

next

tests

texts
7


Final consonant clusters

Final two
Consonant
cluster

Final three
Consonant
cluster

Final four
Consonant
cluster

8


Final two consonant clusters

1. Pre-final /m, n, N, l, s/ + final. Examples:
bond

pump

bank

dealt

desk

think

2. Final + post-final /s, z, t, d, /. Examples:
cats

bags

looked

begged

eighth

kissed
9


Final three consonant clusters
1. Pre-final + final + post-final. Examples:

helped

banks

bonds

twelfth

2. Final + post-final 1 + post-final 2. Examples:
fifths
next
lapsed
10


Final four consonant clusters
1. Pre-final + final + post-final 1 + post-final 2
twelfths
prompts
2. Final + post-final 1 + post-final 2 + post-final 3
sixths
texts
11


Syllable division

extra
• e.kstr@
• ek.str@

• eks.tr@
• ekst.r@

?

• ekstr.@
12


Syllable division
Maximum Onset Principle:

• Consonants are assigned to the right-hand
syllable as far as possible within the
restrictions governing syllable onsets and
codas.
Restrictions:

• No word begins with more than 3 consonants.
• No word ends with more than 4 consonants.
13


Therefore:

extra
• e.kstr@
• ek.str@
• eks.tr@
• ekst.r@

• ekstr.@
14


Strong and weak syllables
1.

Strong syllables: Strong syllables are stressed. They
are syllables that have as their centres one of the
vowel phonemes or possibly a triphthong, but not
/@/. Examples:
contain advise

alter

2.

Weak syllables: are unstressed. They are syllables
that can have only four types of centre.

a.

The vowel /@/: worker

b.

A close front unrounded vowel in the general area
of /i:/ and / I /: / i /: money family

c.

A close back rounded vowel in the general area of
/u:/ and / U /: /u/: arduous do

d.

A syllabic consonant:

banana

bottle garden

15


The /@/ vowel (schwa)
In quality:

•

Mid (half-way between close and open)

•

Central (half-way between front and back)

16


Common Spellings

Weak form

Strong Form

‘a’

attend

character

‘ar’

particular

march

‘ate’ intimate

mate

‘o’

carrot

potato

‘or’

forget

mortgage
17


Common Spellings
Weak form

Strong form

‘e’

violet

settlement

‘u’

autumn

butter

‘er’

perhaps

merge

‘ough’ thorough
‘ou’

callous

though
could
18


Close front vowel
• Phonetic symbol: / i /
• Common spellings:
 Final ‘-y’ or ‘-ey’ : happy
 Prefix ‘re-’ ‘pre-’ ‘de-’ : react
Suffix ‘-iate’ ‘-ious’ : appreciate
 Unstressed words : he

, she

, we

‘the’ preceding a vowel
19


Close back vowel
• Phonetic symbol: /u/
• Common spellings:
 Unstressed words: you

, to

, who

 Before another vowel within a word: influenza

20


Syllabic Consonants
•

Definition:
A syllabic consonant stands as the peak of the syllable instead of a vowel. It is usual to indicate that a
consonant is syllabic by means of a small vertical mark ( < )

•

Phonetic symbols: //, //, //, //

21


/l/
Common spellings
• Words ending with one or more consonant
letters followed by ‘le’
 with alveolar consonant preceding
cattle

, wrestle

with non-alveolar consonant preceding
couple

, struggle

• Words ending with one or more consonant
letters followed by ‘al’ or ‘el’
panel

, petal

, parcel

22


/n/
Common spellings
• After alveolar plosives t, d
threaten

, student

• After labiodental fricative f, v
often

, seven

23

/m/ //
Only occur as a result of processes such as assimilation and elision

happen
thicken

24