What is a Syllable?

Introduction:

The concept of there being syllables is extremely important, when it comes to the correct pronunciation of Latin and Ancient Greek. In the restored pronunciation of Latin and Greek, one’s being able to identify syllables will aid his ability to correctly accentuate words in his vocabulary.

Body:

Let us examine the etymology of the term, ‘syllable.’

Etymology:

The English term:

‘syllable’

is derived from the Ancient-Greek prefix:

συν-

or, when transliterated:

‘sun-’

, which means:

‘together’

; and the Ancient-Greek verb:

λαμβάνω

or, when transliterated:

‘lambánō’

, which means:

‘I take’

.  Therefore, etymologically, a ‘syllable’ is ‘a sequence of letters forming a unit, that is taken (or pronounced) together.’

Conclusion:

It is important to grasp the concept of what a syllable is, as regards Latin and Greek, because in further chapters we shall be discussing concepts such as syllabification, which is the dividing up of a word into syllables; and the quantity of syllables, which describes whether or not syllables be long or short, etc.

Glossary:

syllable /ˈsɪləb(ə)l/

• noun  a unit ofpronunciation having one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants, forming the whole or part of a word; for example, there are two syllables in water and three in inferno.
• -    a character or characters representing a syllable.
• -    [usually with negative] the least amount of speech or writing; the least mention of something: I'd never have breathed a syllable if he'd kept quiet.
• ▪verb.[with object.] pronounce (a word or phrase) clearly, syllable by syllable.

<PHRASES>
• □    in words of one syllable using very simple language; expressed plainly.
<DERIVATIVES>
• syllabled adjective. [usually in combination] many-syllabled words
<ORIGIN>
• late Middle English:  from an Anglo-Norman French alteration of Old French sillabe, via Latin from Greek sullabē, from sun- ‘together’ + lambanein ‘take’.
[1]. <ETYMOLOGY>
• The English term: ‘syllable’ is derived from the Ancient-Greek prefix, συν- or, when transliterated: ‘sun-‘ , which means: ‘together;’ and the Ancient-Greek verb: λαμβάνω or, when transliterated: ‘lambánō,’  which means: ‘I take.’  Therefore, etymologically, a ‘syllable’ is ‘a sequence of letters forming a unit, that is taken (or pronounced) together.’

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[1].  Judy Pearsall (ed). & Patrick Hanks (ed) & Catherine Soanes (ed) & Angus Stevenson, Oxford Dictionary of English: Second Edition, Revised, Oxford, Oxford University Press , 2010 , Loc. 395404.  Available from: Amazon Kindle.