5
Syllable and stress
Textbook: p. 8
GoalDivide words into syllables, tell open from closed syllables and understand stress.
New words
syllable · bo‘g‘inopen syllable · ochiq bo‘g‘inclosed syllable · yopiq bo‘g‘instress · urg‘u
Explanation
A syllable is a part of a word said in one breath. Every syllable has one vowel. A syllable ending in a vowel is open (o-na, bo-la); one ending in a consonant is closed (mak-tab). A single consonant between two vowels goes to the next syllable: ki-tob. When two consonants stand side by side, the first stays in the earlier syllable: mak-tab, ol-ma. Stress is the stronger pronunciation of one syllable in a word. In Uzbek, word stress usually falls on the last syllable: maktáb, kitób, o‘qituvchí.
Worked examples
o‘-qi-tuv-chi (teacher) — 4 syllables (it has the vowels o‘, i, u, i).
Open syllables: o, na, bo, la (from o-na, bo-la). Closed syllables: mak, tab, dar (from mak-tab, dar-yo).
Class activity
“Clap the syllables”: the teacher says a word; children clap once per syllable and say the last syllable louder.
Practice
1
Divide the word daraxt (tree) into syllables.
da-raxt (2 syllables).
2
Which has open syllables, ona or maktab? Are both syllables of ona open?
Ona — both syllables are open (o-na); maktab — both are closed.
3
How many syllables does bolalar have and which one is stressed?
3 (bo-la-lar); the stress is on the last one: bolalár.
4
Why does l stay in the first syllable of ol-ma?
Because of two consonants side by side, the first stays in the earlier syllable.