Functional characteristics of syllables.

Correct syllable formation and syllable division is of great practical importance because syllables perform constitutive, distinctive and recognitive functions.

Constitutive function of the syllable lies in its ability to be a part of a word or a word itself. The syllable forms language units of greater magnitude that is morphemes, words and utterances. The syllable is the unit within which the relations between the distinctive features of the phonemes are revealed. Within a syllable (or a sequence of syllables) prosodic characteristics of speech are realized which form the stress-pattern of a word and the rhythmic and intonation structures of an utterance. So the syllable is a specific minimal structure of both segmental and suprasegmental features.

The other function of the syllable is distinctive. In this respect the syllable is characterized by its ability to differentiate words and word forms. It can be proved by the phonological oppositions based on a difference in syllable division.

Ex.: nitrate [nai-treit] night rate [nait-reit]

The distinction here lies:

a) in the degree of aspiration of [t] which is greater in the first member of the opposition than in the second;

b) in the slightly devoiced articulation of [r] in the first member of the opposition under the influence of the initial [t];

c) in the length of the diphthong [ai] which is shorter in the second member of the opposition, because it is followed by a voiceless consonant.

The differentiation is effected in this case through the opposition strong-end consonant/weak-end consonant resulting in a different position of the point of syllable division. The differentiation is achieved by beginning of fresh articulatory effort at different points.

So, on the one hand, the realization of the phoneme in different positions in a syllable (initial, medial, final) results in different allophones, on the other hand, qualitative and/or quantitative peculiarities of certain allophones of the phoneme indicate the beginning or the end of the syllable.

The difference in syllable division is the basic ground for differentiation of words, word combinations, sentences and the mixed cases.

Ex.: word – word an aim – a name

a notion – an ocean

word combination – word combination an ice house – a nice house

a black tie – a blacked eye

word – sentence ice-cream – I scream

word combination – sentence my skill – Mice kill

sentence – sentence I saw her eyes – I saw her rise

I saw the meat – I saw them eat

The recognitive function of the syllable facilitates their identification. It is conditioned by the pronunciation of the speaker. The listener can understand the meaning of the utterance only if he perceives the correct syllabic boundary.

<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
The main theories of syllable formation and syllable division.	\|	Assignment

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