Phonetics and Phonology: The Syllable

The study of phonetics and phonology involves understanding various speech units, with the syllable being a key focus in this lecture. An utterance represents the largest unit produced by a speaker in the flow of speech, and it can be segmented into sentences or clauses that hold independent meaning and form. In this hierarchy, words serve as independent units in terms of meaning, but they are often part of larger utterances.

The syllable itself is fundamental as a rhythmical phonic unit, functioning as a basic unit at the prosodic level. It acts as the bearer of prosodic features such as stress, quantity, tone, and rhythm. Influential theories explain the nature and structure of syllables, but we will focus on Roach's interpretation found in his book.

The Nature of the Syllable

From a phonetic perspective, syllables are defined by their structure. They typically consist of a center characterized by little to no obstruction of airflow, resulting in a comparatively louder sound compared to surrounding sounds. This central peak is invariably accompanied by obligatory vowels and may include optional consonants before and after it:

Example 1: err /Ǭ:/
Example 2: fur /fǬ:/
Example 3: furs /fǬ:z/

The structural composition of a syllable can be understood through the following terms:

Peak: The obligatory vowel, which serves as the center of the syllable.
Onset: The optional consonants preceding the peak.
Coda: The optional consonants following the peak.

The generalized structure can be represented as follows:

SYLLABLE = (onset) - peak - (coda)

Onset Structure

Within the onset of the syllable, consonants can occupy specific slots:

Pre-initial: The first consonant in the onset, always represented by /s/ if present.
Initial: The second consonant, which can be any consonant in English.
Post-initial: The third consonant, exclusively represented by /l/, /r/, /w/, or /j/.

The zero onset occurs when no consonant is present. It's important to note that some consonant combinations are permissible in English, while others are restricted, such as *sȢw or *mr.

Coda Structure

Similar to the onset, the coda can contain a maximum of four consonants through the following slots:

Pre-final: This slot contains a limited set of consonants, specifically /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, or /s/.
Final: This position can accommodate any English consonant, albeit with restrictions on particular clusters.
Post-final: Consists of a select set of sounds such as /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, or /θ/.

Here are some examples of syllables with notable coda structures:

fifths /fI fθ/ - includes 2 post-final consonants.
next /nekst/ - includes 2 post-final consonants.
twelfths /twelfθs/ - includes 2 post-final consonants.
sixths /sI kθs/ - includes 3 post-final consonants.
texts /teksts/ - includes 3 post-final consonants.

It is crucial to note that when the syllable's peak is not a vowel, we must consider the presence of syllabic consonants such as /l/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, or /r/. For instance, the word middle is represented phonetically as /mI dlʜ/.

Summary of Syllable Structure

The maximum phonological structure of the syllable can be summarized as follows:

ONSET = pre-initial - initial - post-initial
PEAK = vowel
CODA = pre-final - final (1-4)

Reduction in Syllables

One key aspect of syllables is reduction, which refers to vowel weakening in unstressed syllables. Examples include:

bigger /bI gǩ/
perhaps /pǩɑhæps/

This reduction involves a change in vowel quality, and although it can also lead to changes in vowel quantity, the two aspects are not always linked.

Strong and Weak Syllables

We categorize vowels within syllables as strong or weak based on stress:

Weak vowels include:

ǩ (the schwa sound)
i (the close front unrounded vowel)
u (the close back rounded vowel)

Strong vowels constitute all other vowels except for the weak ones mentioned above.

Rules about stressed and unstressed syllables are essential:

Rule 1: Stressed syllables must be strong, containing strong vowels. Examples include attend /ǩɑtend/ and particular /pǩɑt I kjǩlǩ/.
Rule 2: Unstressed syllables are generally weak, but they may occasionally be strong.

Common examples include:

Furniture /ɑf3:n I tȓǩ/
Access /ɑækses/ (not to be pronounced as * /ɑæksǩs/)
Superstar /ɑsu:pǩstǡ:/ (not to be pronounced as * /ɑsu:pǩstǩ/)

The schwa /ǩ/ is the most common weak vowel in English, and longer words often exhibit oscillation between /ǩ/ and other weak vowels like /i/, as seen in words such as modality and particular.

Weak and Strong Forms

A weak form of a word refers to its pronunciation in a less stressed manner, while a strong form is its stressed version. It’s important to differentiate weak syllables from weak forms:

Weak syllables occur in lexical words.
Weak forms are generally grammatical words (e.g., prepositions, auxiliary verbs, articles) that can appear in both strong and weak forms.

Usage of Strong Forms

Words that possess weak forms also have strong forms, which must be utilized under specific circumstances:

When the word is stressed.
As the final word in a group.
Exceptions do exist for certain pronouns like he, him, and us, which may retain their weak forms at the end of sentences unless stressed.

For further exploration of weak versus strong forms, students may refer to additional resources provided in Roach's texts or lecture handouts.

Exercises

Students are encouraged to engage in exercises related to phonological structures and reduction, as noted in Roach (1995: p.84), to deepen their understanding of these key concepts.

Understanding the Syllable: A Comprehensive Overview

Understanding the Syllable: A Comprehensive Overview