Week 8

03.10.2013

1. Strong and Weak Syllablesa. What do we mean by strong and weak?b. How to identify a weak syllable?

2. The vowel ‘schwa’ a. features of the vowel schwa

3. Close front and close back vowels

4. Syllabic consonants a. Syllabic l b. Syllabic n c. Syllabic ŋ d. Syllabic r

• Strength and weakness is one of many features of the English syllable.

What do we mean by “strong” and “weak” syllables?

When we compare weak syllables with strong syllables we find that the VOWEL in weak syllables tends to be..

1. Shorter 2. lower intensity (loudness) 3. different in quality

Another way is in terms of stress:

Strong syllable stressed has a long vowel as its peakWeak syllable unstressed has a short vowel as its peak

Data /deItϑ/

The second syllable is the weak syllable…

•Shorter than the first

•Less loud

•Has a vowel that cannot occur in strong

syllables

Weak syllables can only have one of a very small number of possible peaks

1.The vowel schwa2.A close front unrounded vowel. In the general area of i:, I3.A close back rounded vowel. In the general area of u:, υ

• Most frequently occurring vowel.

• Always associated with weak

syllables.

• In quality it is mid and central.

• It is not articulated with much

energy. Described as lax

Other common vowels found in weak syllables are…

1.Close front unrounded I2.Close back rounded u

1)Final position, words spelt with ‘y’ or ‘ey’

2)Prefix such as ‘re’, ‘pre’, ‘de’

3)Suffixes spelt ‘ate’, ‘iou’

4)In the following words when unstressed, “me, be,

he, she, the”

• Not so common

• Frequently found in words such as “you, to, into”

When? 1. unstressed 2. Preceding a consonant

• “through , who” unstressed

• Before another vowel within a word.

Syllables in which no vowel is found, a consonant either l, r, or a nasal stands as its peak

A consonant is syllabic by a small vertical mark ( )

l, n, m, ŋ, r

Read and highlight examples from the book

1.Choose Partners

2. Brainstorm Questions with Partners

3. Speak: Get Ready, Get Set, START TALKING!

Rules:

1.Speak only English! 2.Keep talking! Don’t stop! 3.No dictionaries! 

Bring a copy of the handout

Available at the webpage…

www.schoolrack.com/ms_lujain