Weak Syllables and Strong Syllables

1. Lecture: 4 Weak Syllables and Strong Syllables

2. Syllable • A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter.

3. Syllables Weak syllables Strong syllables

4. Description of weak and strong syllables • We could describe them partly in terms of stress and/ or length.

5. Weak Syllables Will have….. four types of center: i) the vowel (" shwa") ii) a close front unrounded vowel in the general area of i: and I iii) a close back rounded vowel in the general area of u: and ʊ iv) a syllabic consonant

6. Close front and close back vowels 2 • Two other vowels are commonly found in weak syllables, one close front ( in the general area of i: and i) and the other close back rounded ( in the general region of u: and ʊ).

7. Close front and close back vowels 2 • In strong syllables it is easy to distinguish i: from i, u: from ʊ, but in weak syllables the difference is not so clear .

8. Example: Easybusy i) i:zi: bIzi: ii) i:zI bIzI

9. Close front and close back vowels 2 • The i vowel is neither the i: of (beat) nor the i of (bit), and is not in contrast with them. • The vowel u is neither the u: of (shoe) nor the ʊ of (book), and is not in contrast with them.

10. More Examples i) In word-final position in words spelt with final “ y” or “ ey” ( after one or more consonant letters) e.g. “ happy / hæpi / valley /væli / and in morpheme final position when such words have suffixes beginning with vowels,e.g. “ happier / hæpiə / easiest /i:ziəst / “ hurrying” / hʌriIŋ / ii) In prefix such as those spelt “ re” , “ pre” , “ de” if is precedes a vowel and is unstressed,for example in react / riækt / preocupied /priɒkjəpaId/ deactivate /diæktIveIt / iii) In suffixes spelt “ iate”, “ious” when they have two syllables, for example in “ appreciate”, “hilarious” iv) In the following words when unstressed: “ he”, “ she” , “ we” “ me” , “ be” and the word “ the” when it precedes a vowel.

11. 3 SYLLABIC CONSONANTS

12. What is a Syllabic consonant? A syllabic consonant is a consonant which forms a syllable of its own (a syllable that contains only a consonant and no vowel is found). Examples: • button [bʌt̚n̩] • bottle [bɒtl̩] • acre [ˈeɪkr̩] • rhythm [ˈrɪðm̩].

13. m̩ ŋ̩

14. syllabic ‘l̩’ 1- with alveolar consonant preceding: cattle / kætl / bottle / bɒtl / muddle /mʌdl/ 2- With non-alveolar consonant preceding: Couple /k ʌ pl/ trouble/ trʌbl / Knuckle /n ʌ kl/

15. Such words usually lose their final letter “ e” when a suffix is beginning with a vowel is attached, but the l usually remains syllabic.Thus: Bottle-bottling /bɒtlIŋ/ Mudlle-muddling / mʌdlIŋ/

16. We find syllabic l in words spelt, at the end, with one or more consonant letters followed by ‘al’ or ‘el’, for example: • ‘panel’ /pænl/ papal / peIpl / • Petal / petl / parcel / pɑ:sl / • Kernel / k ɜ:nl/ Babel / beIbl / • Pedal / pedl / ducal /dju:kl /

17. n̩ • Weak syllables which are composed of a polsive or a fricative consonant plus ənare uncommon except in initial position in the words. • Syllabic n̩is most common after alveolar plosives and affricatives. • Syllabic n̩ after non-alveolar consonants is not so widespread. • After f or v, syllabic n̩ is more common than ən except in word initial syllables; e.g seven / heaven

18. m̩ and ŋ̩ Both can occur as syllabic, but only as a result of processes such as assimilation and elision. Examples: • Happen • thicken

19. r̩ • It is less common in RP. • In many cases both syllabic and non-syllabic forms are acceptable. Example: History

20. Combination of Syllabic Consonsnts: It is very rare to have combinations of SC. Examples: • National • Literal • visionary