21
What is a syllable?
Textbook Part 1, pp. 58–61
GoalKnow that vowels make syllables and count the syllables in a word.
New words
syllable · bo‘g‘invowel · unliopen syllable · ochiq bo‘g‘inclosed syllable · yopiq bo‘g‘in
Explanation
Words split into syllables: mak-tab (school). Only a vowel makes a syllable. A word has as many syllables as it has vowels. A syllable ending in a vowel is open (ki-); one ending in a consonant is closed (-tob).
Worked examples
fil (elephant): 1 vowel, 1 syllable; o-na (mother): 2 vowels, 2 syllables
qur-ba-qa (frog): 3 vowels (u, a, a), 3 syllables
Class activity
“Clap the syllables”: children say animal names, clapping once per syllable: fil (1), mu-shuk (2), qur-ba-qa (3).
Practice
1
How many syllables in olma (apple)?
2
2
How many syllables in kabutar (pigeon)?
3
3
Say a word with one syllable.
For example: non (bread), fil (elephant), qush (bird)
4
In ki-tob (book), which syllable is open?
ki