Theories of Syllable Formation

#1 Expiratory Theory (Pressure Theory)

It was introduced by R.H. Stetson. The theory is based on the fact that expiration in speech is a pulsating process. So, according to Stetson’s point of view there are as many syllables in a word as there are expiration pulses. The border line between two syllables is at the point of the weakest expiration. The theory proved to be inconsistent and was criticized by a number of linguists. It was pointed out that it is possible to pronounce several syllables, even a number of words or phrase with a single aspiration.

#2 The Theory of Muscular Tension

The theory was introduced by Щерба and then adopted by other linguists. According to it the syllable is like an arch of muscular tension with weak phonemes in the beginning and in the end, and a strong phoneme in the middle. So, the energy increases within the range of pre-vocalic consonants and gradually decreases within the range of post-vocalic consonants.

The theory was modified by Васильев, who stated that any syllable can be characterized by 3 features: 1. pitch, 2. intensity, 3. lengh. Within the syllables these features change from minimum to maximum and then to minimum again.

#3 Loudness Theory

It was introduced by Жинкин and seems to combine Васильев’s and Щерба’s points of view. According to this theory a syllable can be seen as the arc of loudness and the arc of articulatory effort due to the fact that the increase in muscular tension actually reinforces the loudness of the vowels.

The variety of theories proves that the syllable is a complicated phenomenon. We can approach the syllable from 2 points of view. We can regard it as a purely articulatory unit that doesn’t have any functional value; or we can see it as the minimal unit that reveals some linguistic functions.

Most linguists support the second point of view that can be proved by the following facts:

§ A syllable can be seen as a number of phonemes.

§ The syllable is based from the contrast between vowels and consonants.

§ The functions of the nuclear of the syllable is performed by vowels.

Minimally a syllable consists of a vowel or a sonorant, which is the nuclear or centre of the syllable. Sometimes a syllable may consist of a consonant (“Mm…”, “Shh…”). So, vowels are syllabic while consonants are not with the exception of consonants [m], [n], [l] which become syllabic if they occur in an unstressed final position before a noise consonant (people - [pipl]).

Traditionally 4 basic types of syllable are singled out:

1. Open syllable. There are syllables that have one or more consonants preceding the nuclear. They make up the syllable onset (“play”, “me”).

2. Closed syllable. These are syllables that have one or more consonants following the nuclear. They make up coda. (“am”)

3. Covered syllable. These are syllables that have both onset and coda. (“hunt”)

4. Uncovered syllable consists only of a nuclear. (“I”, “oh”)

For English closed type of syllables is a fundamental one, while in Russian this is the open type. It should also be mentioned that in spite of the fact that a vowel is usually the nuclear of the syllable, there is an exception to this rule. As David Crystal points out, in some accents there are syllable consonant lire [r] in the words. (“Bird” – [bɔːd], [brd])

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