View source for morphology: syllables


A ''syllable'' consists of an ''onset'', a ''non-[[Morphology: vowels|y]] nucleus'', and a ''coda''. (A ''y-nucleus'' is excluded from the definition of ''syllable'' just for convenience, because ''y-syllable''s are not allowed in [[Morphology: fu'ivla|''fu'ivla'']]. ''y-syllable''s in [[Morphology: brivla|''brivla'']] always have an empty ''coda'').

An ''onset'' is an [[Morphology: consonants|initial]] consonant or cluster, or a [[Morphology: vowels|glide]], or an [[Morphology: consonants|h]], or empty. (An empty onset can only appear at the beginning of a word, an ''h onset'' can never appear at the beginning of a word, a ''glide'' onset can never appear immediately after a diphthong). 

A ''nucleus'' is a [[Morphology: vowels|diphthong]], or a [[Morphology: vowels|vowel]], or a [[Morphology: vowels|y]], not followed directly by another ''nucleus''.

A ''coda'' is a single [[Morphology: consonants|consonant]], or empty, not the start of a ''consonantal-syllable'', nor of an [[Morphology: consonants|initial]] consonant or cluster.

A ''consonantal-syllable'' consists of a [[Morphology: consonants|consonant]] and a [[Morphology: consonants|syllabic]] consonant, and must always be followed by another ''consonantal-syllable'' or by an [[Morphology: consonants|initial]] consonant or cluster. 

A ''final-syllable'' (of a [[Morphology: brivla|brivla]]) is a ''syllable'' whose nucleus is not ''stressed'', followed directly by a [[Morphology: special characters|pause]] or by a [[Morphology: words|Lojban-word]] other than a [[morphology: cmevla|cmevla]].

A ''stressed-syllable'', a ''stressed-diphthong'' and a ''stressed-vowel'' are, respectively, a ''syllable'', a [[Morphology: vowels|diphthong]] and a [[Morphology: vowels|vowel]] with where the vowel is ''stressed'' ('A', 'E', 'I', 'O', 'U') or with ''stress'' being marked by being followed (possibly after intervening y and/or consonantal syllables) by just one ''syllable'' and then by a [[Morphology: special characters|pause]]. (The use of capital 'I' and 'U' in [[Morphology: vowels|glide]] position, or capital consonants, is not taken as a mark of stress).

An ''unstressed-syllable'', an ''unstressed-diphthong'' and an ''unstressed-vowel'' are, respectively, a ''syllable'', a [[Morphology: vowels|diphthong]] and a [[Morphology: vowels|vowel]] not ''stressed'' as described above.