We defined a syllable as a peak of sonority surrounded by less sonorous sounds. In most cases, the peak of sonority, that is, the nucleus of a syllable, is a vowel because vowels are the most sonorous sounds. But in some conditions, a sonorous consonant, a nasal or a liquid, can be the nucleus of a syllable. In those cases, the consonant is transcribed with a special diacritic to indicate its syllabic status.
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Check Yourself
1. The video indicated that the word
funnel
can be transcribed to indicate that the second syllable consists of a syllabic [l̩]. The word
elbow
is also spelled with the letters ‘el’. Say the two words to yourself several times. Which is the correct transcription for
elbow
?
2. The words
human
and
manager
both contain a syllable that is spelled with the letters ‘man’. In which word does that syllable contain a syllabic [n̩]?
3. In the word
umbrella
, is the [m] syllabic?
Answers