Syllable

Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Definition:

A syllable is a unit of sound composed of

Discussion:

Syllable structure, which is the combination of allowable segments and typical sound sequences, is language specific.

Parts

Parts	Description	Optionality
Onset	Initial segment of a syllable	Optional
Rhyme	Core of a syllable, consisting of a nucleus and coda (see below)	Obligatory
– Nucleus	Central segment of a syllable	Obligatory
– Coda	Closing segment of a syllable	Optional

Examples:

Here is an example of the syllable structure of the English word limit:

Diagram:

Here is a diagram of a syllable:

Comparison:

Here are some kinds of syllables:

Kind	Description	Example
Heavy	Has a branching rhyme. All syllables with a branching nucleus (long vowels) are considered heavy. Some languages treat syllables with a short vowel (nucleus followed by a consonant (coda) as heavy.	CV:C, CVCC, CVC
Light	Has a non-branching rhyme (short vowel). Some languages treat syllables with a short vowel(nucleus) followed by a consonant (coda) as light.	CV, CVC
Closed	Ends with a consonant coda.	CVC, CVCC, VC
Open	Has no final consonant	CV