Understanding Syllables: Consonants, Vowels, and Phonetic Structure

Syllabic Consonants

A syllabic consonant occurs when a consonant, typically l, r, or a nasal, functions as the nucleus of a syllable instead of a vowel. This is often indicated with a small vertical mark (ˌ) beneath the consonant. For example, the word 'cattle' can be transcribed as /kaetlˌ/.

Strong and Weak Syllables

Weak syllables differ from strong syllables in vowel characteristics. Vowels in weak syllables tend to be shorter, of lower intensity, and qualitatively different. For example, in the word 'father,' the second syllable is weaker than the first; it is shorter, less loud, and contains a vowel that typically does not occur in strong syllables. Weak syllables can also occur in word-final position with a coda, such as in the word 'open'.

Syllable Structure: Onset, Peak, and Coda

Most English speakers perceive the word 'going' as consisting of two syllables. Phonetically, the 'u' sound in the middle could be considered the dividing point between the two syllables due to its articulation being slightly closer to obstructing airflow than the adjacent vowels. However, determining whether the 'u' belongs to the first or second syllable is a matter of phonology, as it is part of the /ʊ/ diphthong phoneme, rather than a purely phonetic structural element.

'Hanger' vs. 'Anger': Velar Nasals

The words 'hanger' and 'anger' differ morphologically. 'Hanger' can be divided into two grammatical morphemes: 'hang' + '-er,' while 'anger' consists of a single morpheme and cannot be divided. The velar nasal /ŋ/ occurs without a following /ɡ/ at the end of a morpheme but is followed by /ɡ/ in the middle of a morpheme. Examples include 'song,' 'bang,' and 'long'.

Front Close and Close Back Vowels

Two other vowels are commonly found in weak syllables: a close front vowel (near /iː/ and /ɪ/) and a close back rounded vowel (near /uː/ and /ʊ/). Distinguishing /iː/ from /ɪ/ and /uː/ from /ʊ/ is easier in strong syllables than in weak syllables. The /i/ sound occurs:

• In word-final position in words spelled with final 'y' or 'ey,' such as 'happy' and 'valley.'
• In morpheme-final position when such words have suffixes beginning with vowels, such as 'happier,' 'easiest,' and 'hurrying.'
• In prefixes such as 're-,' 'pre-,' and 'de-' if it precedes a vowel and is unstressed, for example, in 'react,' 'preoccupied,' and 'deactivate.'
• In suffixes spelled '-iate,' '-ious' when they have two syllables, for example, in 'appreciate' or 'hilarious.'

The Consonants /j/ and /w/

The consonants /j/ and /w/ are found at the beginning of words such as 'yet' and 'wet.' Phonetically, they resemble vowels but function phonologically as consonants. The articulation of /j/ is practically the same as that of a front close vowel such as /iː/ but is very short. Similarly, /w/ is closely similar to /uː/.