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Syllable

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A sound unit organised around a central peak, with optional sounds before or after it.

In precise terms

In spoken-language analysis, a syllable is a prosodic unit conventionally represented by σ. It contains a nucleus, usually a vowel, and may also contain an onset before the nucleus and a coda after it; each language's phonotactics determines which structures are possible.

An example

[plænt] — onset [pl], nucleus [æ], coda [nt] (schematic)

What is going on here

The schematic form has one syllable. Its sonority rises through the onset towards the vowel nucleus and then falls through the coda. The labels describe positions within the syllable, not letters in a spelling system.

Why this matters when you are learning a language

Syllable structure explains why a consonant cluster may be easy in one position but difficult or impossible in another. It also gives you the unit to which stress and many tone patterns are assigned, so dictionaries and pronunciation notes become easier to read.

Across languages

Languages differ in the onsets and codas they permit: some strongly favour simple structures, while others allow several consonants at a syllable edge. Sonority is a useful guide to syllabification, but the permitted patterns and the details of the hierarchy are language-specific.

Related terms

  • PhonemeAdvanced — A sound unit that can change one word into another in a given language.
  • AllophoneAdvanced — One of the predictable pronunciations of a single phoneme, chosen by its environment.
  • StressAdvanced — Extra prominence given to one syllable relative to nearby syllables.
  • ToneAdvanced — A language-specific pitch pattern on a syllable or word that can distinguish meaning.

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