Functional characteristics of the syllable

The syllable as a phonological unit performs three functions: constitutive, distinctive, identificatory. They are closely connected.

Constitutive function. Syllables constitute words, phrases and sentences through the combination of their prosodic features: loudness-stress, pitch-tone, duration- length and tempo. Syllables may be stressed, unstressed, high, mid, low, rising, falling, long and short. All these prosodic features constitute the stress pattern of words, tonal rhythmic structure of an utterance, help to perform distinctive variations on the syllabic level.

Distinctive and Differentiatory function. If we compare the words: listening- освещение, lightning-молния, we may observe that their syllabicity is the only minimal, distinctive feature. It is an example of the word-distinctive function of the syllabicity of / n /. There are many combinations in English distinguished from each other by means of the difference in the place of the syllabic boundary: a name (ат,есім)- an aim (мақсат). Ice cream (балмұздақ)- I scream, we loan-we 1 1 own. The distinctive and differentiatory function of the syllabic boundary makes it possible to introduce the term «juncture». Close juncture or conjuncture occurs between sounds within one syllable, e.g. a name, I scream: in the first example the close juncture is between /n/and /ei/, in the second example between / s / and / к /. Open juncture, disjuncture, or internal open juncture occurs between two syllables. In our example it occur between a+name, I+scream.

3. Identificatory function. This function is conditioned by the pronunciation of the speaker. The listener can understand the exact meaning of the utterance only if he perceives the correct syllabic boundary- "syllabodisjuncture ",e.g. my train- менің пойызым, might rain- мүмкін жаңбыр жауады.

Graphic characteristics of the syllable

The auditory image of a syllable can be shown:

Word Phonetic syllables Orthographic