Monday, May 2, 2011

Syllabification and Curious Minds

When the concept of the syllable was first introduced to me in grade school, I pondered the difference between the length of some syllables with others. Yes, the cutoff for what qualified a collection of segments to be whole was clear, but why no word for the phenomen?

through and it- both one syllable
it and shit- one syllable
feel and at- also one syllable

It would be decades before I, a lover of words, would learn the concept of the half syllable. Understanding children are capable of a bit more helps create adults capable of a bit more.

Now, go enjoy the sun.

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