Syllables 2. Syllable: what is a syllable? (continued)
LLCM20AN English Phonetics Week 3: Syllables (continued), weak vowels T. Kamiyama, Université de Marne-la-Vallée 2007-2008
Structure of a syllable? Onset and coda are optional.
Structure of a syllable: onset
Syllable
• Three-consonant clusters: • /s/ + /p t k/ + /l r w j/:
Rhyme (Onset) 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
Nucleus (peak) LLCM20AN English Phonetics 2007-2008 Week 3
(Coda) Roach (1991) 3
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Structure of a syllable: 3. coda
Structure of a syllable: coda
• Syllable final consonant(s).
• Two-consonant clusters: • 1. /m n " l s/ + another consonant
• An optional element.
Examples: /b#mp/ /bent/ /bæ"k/ /belt/ /$%sk/
• /h r w j/ are not possible in this position.
• 2. A consonant + /s z t d &/ Examples: /bets/ /bedz/ /bækt/ /bæ'd/ /e!t&/
• A syllable may have 0-4 coda consonants. Examples: /de! / /dek/ /eks/ /nekst/ /teksts/
Roach (1991) 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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LLCM20AN English Phonetics 2007-2008 Week 3
Structure of a syllable: coda
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LLCM20AN English Phonetics 2007-2008 Week 3
Structure of a syllable: coda
• Three-consonant clusters:
• Four-consonant clusters:
• 1. /m n " l s/ + another consonant + /s z t d &/
• 1. /m n " l s/ + another C + /s z t d &/ + /s z t d &/
• 2. A consonant + /s z t d &/ + /s z t d &/
• 2. A consonant + /s z t d &/+/s z t d &/+/s z t d &/
Roach (1991) 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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Roach (1991) 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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0. Some more basic spellingpronunciation rules (revision)
Class 3: Weak syllables (weak vowels and syllabic consonants)
0.1. effect
/(/ when preceded by /w/
/+%/ when preceded by /w/
• /w!/ as in /w(nt/, /)w(nd*/, /w(t/
• /w#$/ as in /w+%/, /w+%m/, /w+%f/
• (but /)w+%t*/)
• /kw#$/ as in /kw+%ts/, ( /)kw+%t*/)
• ( /kw!/ as in /)kw(l*ti/, /)kw(nt*ti/, /skw(,/) • (but /æ/ as in /mæs/, more closed (high) vowels. 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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Weak vowels Weak vowels • N.B. Not all unstressed syllables have weak vowels: there are some unstressed syllables with strong vowels.
• 1. /*/ “schwa” • 2.!A close front unrounded vowel in the general area of /i%/ and /!/. • 3.!A close back rounded vowel in the general area of /u%/ and /1/. 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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1.1. /*/ (“schwa”)!
1.1. /*/ (“schwa”): when appropriate?!
• The most frequently occurring vowel in English. • In quality mid (half-way between open and closed / high and low) and central (half-way between front and back), though the quality is not always the same.
• If the speaker were to pronounce a particular weak syllable as strong instead, which vowel would it be most likely to have, according to the usual rules of English spelling? • (but you have to know which syllables should be weak: studied later)
• Always associated with weak syllables. • Not all weak syllables contain /*/, though many do. 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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/*/ (“schwa”): some examples of spelling
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/*/ (“schwa”): some examples of spelling
• -> “long” pronunciation of /e!/ • + nouns: ‘senate’ /)sen*t/ • Cf. /e!t/ in verb endings: appreciate /*)pri%,ie't/, duplicate /)dju%pl!ke't/, collaborate /k*)læb*re't / • -> “short” pronunciation of /æ/ and /$%/
• N.B. /)dju%pl!k)t / (adj., n.) /)sep(*)r)t / (adj.)
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Roach (1991) 31
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/)dju%pl!ke't / (v.)
/)sep*re't / (v.)
LLCM20AN English Phonetics 2007-2008 Week 3
Roach (1991)32
/*/ (“schwa”): some examples of spelling
/*/ (“schwa”): some examples of spelling
• -> “short” pronunciation of /e/, /-%/ • -> “short” pronunciation of /(/, /+%/
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Roach (1991)33
/*/ (“schwa”): some examples of spelling
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Roach (1991)34
/*/ (“schwa”): some examples of spelling
• -> “short” pronunciation of /#/
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Roach (1991)35
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Roach (1991)36
1.2. Close front unrounded vowel 1. /i/ “happY vowel”
1.2. Close front unrounded vowel 1. /i/ “happY vowel”
• The word final vowel in “happy”. • The distinction in strong pronunciation /i%/ and /!/ is not evident in weak syllables (the distinction is neutralized). • The vowel is neither /i%/ nor /!/. • /i/: it sounds like /i%/ but not strong and long. 11/02/2008 T. Kamiyama
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Roach (1991)38
1.2. Close front unrounded vowel 2. /!/
1.2. Close front unrounded vowel 1. /i/ “happY vowel”
• -> to be covered when we study the “weak-form” words.!
LLCM20AN English Phonetics 2007-2008 Week 3
!
Roach (1991)39
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Roach (1991)40
