Syllabification
Syllabification is the process of breaking words into their component syllables, whether in written or spoken form. Although it may appear straightforward, this process is complex and can be challenging for even seasoned linguists. A significant factor contributing to this difficulty is the varying interpretations of what constitutes a syllable itself, with no universally accepted definition among experts. Generally, a syllable is thought to consist of three main parts: the onset, nucleus, and coda, where the nucleus typically relates to a vowel, while the onset and coda involve consonants. However, syllables can also exist without one or more of these components, adding to the complexity. The act of syllabification often leads to debates among linguists, particularly with words that present ambiguous structures or shift in pronunciation based on context. Despite these challenges, there is generally a consensus on how many words should be syllabified, as speakers often perceive syllables as rhythmic beats in speech. Consequently, while syllabification plays a crucial role in linguistics, it remains a subjective practice that reflects the nuances of language and pronunciation.
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Syllabification
Syllabification is the act of breaking down a word into its syllables in a written or verbal manner. While seemingly a straightforward task, syllabification is, in fact, a complicated concept that is often difficult to master even for the most educated experts. The main reason for this is that determining which parts of a word make up its syllables is frequently a matter of interpretation. Moreover, even the basic definition of the term syllable varies from source to source. Regardless, syllabification is an important element of linguistics, or the study of language and its structure.
Overview
Though it is a well-known and widely accepted element of language, the syllable is particularly difficult to describe as a concrete linguistic concept. For numerous reasons, a definitive understanding of the syllable has eluded linguistic experts the world over for centuries. In practice, regional differences in pronunciation have led to disagreements on the appropriate way to syllabify various words. Even when speakers agree on the basic premise of how a given word should be syllabified, the rules of syllabification are often inexact and open to interpretation. This confusion is no doubt tied to the fundamental problem of defining what exactly a syllable is.
In truth, there is no universally accepted definition of the term syllable. Various experts have offered differing interpretations of the concept. Most believe that the syllable is either a physiological unit or an element of verbal acoustics. Those who view the syllable as a physiological unit typically describe it as one respiratory movement called a chest pulse or as a single opening and closing of the vocal tract aperture. Those who favor an interpretation of the syllable as an acoustic element often describe it as a peak of sonority, or relative loudness, in the sound stream of speech. Some even argue that the syllable does not actually exist at all and is simply an imagined concept. Naturally, these differing and sometimes conflicting interpretations of what the syllable actually is make it very difficult to determine how to properly syllabify a selected word.
While there is little agreement on the precise definition of the syllable, those who acknowledge its existence generally agree on its component parts. By most standards, syllables follow a basic structure consisting of three main parts: onset, nucleus (or peak), and coda. Usually, the nucleus of a syllable is related to a vowel, while its onset and coda are related to consonants or consonant clusters. The single syllable that makes up the word grand is an example of a syllable that consists of all three of these parts. Specifically, /gr/ is the onset, /a/ is the nucleus, and /nd/ is the coda. This arrangement is typical of most syllables in that it follows a consonant + vowel + consonant scheme. Not all syllables are organized in this manner, though. Some may lack an onset or coda or may consist of a nucleus only. Even with an understanding of the parts of a syllable and the typical patterns of those parts, syllabification is still not always a simple task or an exact science.
On the surface, the syllabification of multisyllabic words seems to be a relatively simple task and sometimes it is. When looking at the word commonplace, for example, it is fairly clear that it would be syllabified as com-mon-place. In other cases, however, the syllabification of a given word may be subject to interpretation. In certain cases, linguists may differ on precisely how a word should be syllabified. With a word like real, which has what is known as a set of high front vowels followed by /l/, there is some question as to its correct syllabification. While real is typically considered a one-syllable word, its unique structure has led some experts to argue that it is actually composed of two syllables. A similar argument can be made for words that contain a /r/, such as fire, which some believe should be considered a two-syllable term. Another challenging syllabification scenario occurs with words that have different pronunciations depending on their use. Invalid, for instance, can arguably be syllabified as in-val-id or in-va-lid, depending on whether it is used as an adjective or a noun.
Despite the lack of a clear definition of the syllable and the degree to which the act of syllabification is informed by interpretation, speakers do tend to agree on the syllabification of most words. One possible reason for this is that most people think of the syllable as a beat in speech and, therefore, as an element of pronunciation rather than an element of word structure. This, in turn, means that people most often look to sonority as an indication of correct syllabification. While this explains why so many words have a generally agreed upon syllabification, there is still a great deal of variation. Ultimately, without a universal understanding of what the syllable is or if it even actually exists, syllabification remains a relatively subjective matter that is unlikely to ever become a concrete element of language or speech.
Bibliography
Brogan, T.V.F., and J.M. Cocola. "Syllable." The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012, 1390-–1391. Print.
Cairns, Charles E., and Eric Raimy, eds. Handbook of the Syllable. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill Publishers, 2011, 1–26. Print.
Hall, T.A. "Syllable: Phonology." Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics. Vol. 12. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2005, 329–333. Print.
Livingstone, Josephine. "Do Syllables Exist?" Guardian. Guardian. 25 Jun. 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jun/25/english-do-syllables-exist-linguists
"What is Hyphenation and Syllabification?" Alias-i. Lingpipe. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. http://alias-i.com/lingpipe/demos/tutorial/hyphenation/read-me.html