Re: USAGE: syllables

On Thu, Jun 12, 2003 at 07:18:22PM +0000, Alexandre Lang wrote:
> Let's say i have a word "forustruvat"
> would the syllables be...
> "for ust ru vat"?
> "fo rust ru vat"?
> "fo rus tru vat"?
> I'd appreciate anyone's help. thank you.
That depends on the language.  Different languages have different
rules for how words divide into syllables.  For isntance, English tends to
keep consonant clusters together, whereas many languages split them
up.

For instance, if "forustruvat" were an English word, it would
probably syllabify as "for-ust-ru-vat".  But in Latin, it would
syllabify as "fo-rust-ru-vat".  Some languages so strongly
prefer initial consonant clusters to final ones that it could even be
"fo-ru-stru-vat", which wasn't in your list.  Some languages even give
non-stop consonants their own syllable, so it could be "f-o-r-u-s-tr-u-v-at"!
(That's an extreme example, but having just the "tr" as its own syllable
- a "vocalic r" - would not be that uncommon.)

If there is a universal rule, it is that two pronounced vowels which
have at least one consonant between them fall in separate syllables.
(Directly adjacent vowels may either be separate syllables or turn
into a one-syllable diphthong).

So: it's your conlang.  You decide!

-Mark

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