Syllable structure

A syllable is a phonological unit that is composed of one or more phonemes.

Nucleus & onset & coda & rhyme

• Every syllable has a nucleus, which is usually a vowel.

• The nucleus may be preceded by one or more consonants called the onset and followed by one or more consonants called the coda.

• The syllabic unit made up by the nucleus plus coda is called rhyme.

II. Sequence of phonemes

Native speakers of any language intuitively know what sounds can be put together. The longest onset in English may be composed of three consonants. The longest coda in English may contain four consonants.

Systematic gaps &accidental gaps

Some sequences are not possible in English. The impossible sequences are called systematic gaps. Sequences that are possible but do not occur yet are called accidental gaps.

When new words are coined, they may fill some accidental gaps but they will never fill systematic gaps.