Linguists distinguish such a concept as syllables. Language learners need to be able to correctly identify their boundaries in words and distinguish them by type. Consider the most basic types of syllables, as well as the rules of division.
Syllables - what is it?
There are different approaches to the definition of this concept. From the point of view of phonetics, a syllable is a single sound or a group of sounds accompanied by an expiratory push. There are always as many syllables in a word as there are vowels in it. We can say that a syllable is the minimum pronunciation unit.
A syllabic (or syllabic sound) is a vowel. A consonant, respectively, is considered non-syllable.
Types of syllables
Syllables are also classified into open and closed. Closed syllables end in a consonant, and open syllables end in a vowel. In the Russian language, a tendency to openness of the syllable is noted.
Also, if a syllable begins with a vowel, it is undisguised, and if with a consonant, then it is covered.
There are also syllables for acoustic structure:
- ascending, where from a less sonorous (dull consonant) comes both / or sonor consonant and / or vowel (pa-pa).
- descending ones, where, unlike the ascending one, the syllable starts from the vowel, and then the sonorous consonants and / or the deaf (mind) go.
- ascending-descending, where a semblance is obtained, in which the consonants in the degree of sonority first go, then the top is the vowel, and then the “descent” is down, starting with the most sonorous consonants (ping-pong).
- even syllables are one vowel, that is, open and open syllables are even and consist of only one vowel (a).
Stressed and unstressed syllables
Stroke syllable is a syllable whose stress falls on the vowel, that is, the vowel is in a strong position. The stress does not fall on unstressed syllables.
And unstressed syllables, in turn, are divided into two types with respect to the stressed syllable: shock and pre-stressed. It is easy to guess that the pre-stressed ones are before the stressed syllable, the stressed ones, respectively, after. They are also divided into pre-stressed / shock stressed syllables of various orders with respect to the stressed one. The first shock or shock is closest to the hit, the second in order is behind the first shock and shock, and so on.
Take for example the word che-re-do-va-ni-e, where all syllables, it is worth noting, are open. The fourth syllable -va- will be stressed, the first pre-stressed syllable -do-, the second -re-, and the third-through. But the first shock will be -ni-, the second -th.
How to divide a word into syllables?
All words can be divided into syllables. In different languages, division can occur in different ways. But how is the division in Russian? What are the nuances of the rule?
In general, the division takes place according to the general principles:
- How many vowels, so many syllables. If a word has one vowel, then it is one syllable, since vowels are syllabic. For example, these are the words: cat, whale, one, current, which consist of one syllable.
- A syllable can only be a vowel. For example, according to syllables, the word "this" is divided as e-one.
- Open syllables end with vowels, closed syllables. Examples of openness: mo-lo-ko, de-le-ni-e, ko-ro-va. Closed syllables are found, as a rule, at the end of a word or at the junction of consonants (com-pot, mole, give). In the Russian language, as already mentioned, there is a tendency to openness of the syllable.
- If the word has the letter "th", then it goes back to the previous syllable. For example, mine.
- At the junction of two vowels, division occurs in the middle, because there cannot be two vowels in one syllable. In this case, it turns out that the first syllable is open, and the second is open (ha-os).
- All sonoric (m, n, l, p) at the junction of consonants before the deaf usually “stick” to the sounds preceding them, forming a syllable.
Theories of making
Nevertheless, there is no clear-cut framework for what exactly is a syllable and where its boundaries go. The main thing is the presence of a vowel, but the definition of boundaries can occur in different ways. There are several basic theories of indoctrination.
- Sonor theory based on the principle of the sonority wave of a syllable. It was developed by Danish scientist Otto Jespersen, and for the Russian language he continued the idea of R.I. Avanesov. He singled out four degrees of sonority, from the more sonorous to the non-sonorous. The vowels are at the top, then the second degree is followed by the sonorous ones, the third degree is the voiced noisy ones, and the fourth place is taken by completely unvoiced consonants. That is, a syllable is a combination of a vowel with less sonorous sounds, even non- sonorous ones.
- The expiratory theory (expiratory) implies that a syllable is one exhalation push. How many shocks, so many syllables. However, the minus of this theory is the uncertainty of the boundary of the syllable at the junction of consonants. In this theory, you can use a candle to understand how many syllables (tremors) in a word.
- The theory of "muscular tension" carries the idea that the syllable combines the levels of maximum and minimum muscular tension (that is, the tension of the organs of speech). The boundary of the syllable will be the sounds of minimal muscular tension.
Now that you know the rules for dividing words into syllables, you will not have problems with word wrap.