Syllable onset

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. WikiProject Linguistics or the Linguistics Portal may be able to help recruit one. If a more appropriate WikiProject or portal exists, please adjust this template accordingly. (September 2008)

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008)

In phonetics and phonology, a syllable onset is the part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus.

[edit] Syllable structure

The segmental structure of a syllable begins with an onset, followed by a rime or final.

syllable: C₁(C₂)V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄) = onset: C₁(C₂) + rime: V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄)

syllable: V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄) = onset: Ø (null) + rime: V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄)

(C = consonant, V = vowel, optional components are in parentheses.)

Depending on the phonotactics of a language, the onset can consist of a single consonant or a consonant cluster. If a syllable begins with a vowel or another syllabic sonorant, then the syllable is said to have no onset, or a null onset. (Most languages allow this possibility.) The terms null initial and zero initial are used as well.