Syllable
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Stems. The stems (e.g. noun stems, verb stems, etc.) have the following syllable types:
- CV(ː)(T)(C)
That is, all syllables must have a consonant onset C, a vowel nucleus V. The syllable may carry a high tone T, the vowel nucleus may be short or long, and there may optionally be a consonant coda.
Prefixes. Prefixes typically have a syllable structure of CV-, such as chʼí- "out horizontally". Exceptions to this are certain verbal prefixes, such as the classifiers (-ł-, -l-, -d-) that occur directly before the verb stem, which consist of a single consonant -C-. A few other verbal prefixes, such as naa- "around, about" on the outer left edge of the verb have long vowels, CVV-. A few prefixes have more complex syllable shapes, such as hashtʼe- "ready, prepared" (CVCCV-). Prefixes do not carry tone.
In some analyses, such as that of Harry Hoijer, consider conjunct verbal prefixes to have the syllable shape CV-. In other generative analyses (e.g. McDonough 2003), the same prefixes are considered to have only underlying consonants of the shape C-. Then, in certain environments, an epenthetic vowel (the default vowel is i) is inserted after the consonantal prefix.
Read more about this topic: Navajo Phonology
Famous quotes containing the word syllable:
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.”
—William Shakespeare (15641616)
“The Brain is just the weight of God
ForHeft themPound for Pound
And they will differif they do
As Syllable from Sound”
—Emily Dickinson (18301886)
“He generally added the syllable um to his words when he could,as paddlum, etc.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)