Robert L. Trammell

              The nature and rules of syllabification differ from language to language. While there may be universal tendencies toward open syllabification, especially in syllable-timed languages, and while interlanguage phonology may show a preference for open syllables, languages such as English present a more complex set of possibilities.
              Among phonologists there exists a division of opinion on the rules of English syllabification at word-internal syllable boundaries between a stressed and unstressed vowel. Some linguists argue that open syllabification is the norm, while others believe the best analysis requires closed syllables. Using periods to indicate clear syllable boundaries and brackets to indicate ambisyllabic consonants, we have, then, pony as /po.ni/ or /pon.i/. A third group of linguists maintains that the best solution is to posit “ambisyllabic” consonants, whose articulatory onset and hold close*or at least half close*the preceding syllable, while their release acts as the onset of the second syllable*e.g., /po[n]i/. This third group of linguists is divided as to whether ambisyllabic consonants occur after tense vowels as well as lax vowels. All of the “ambisyllabists” agree on resin as /rE[z]In/ with an ambisyllabic /z/ after a lax vowel. However, many of them would say raisin is /re.zIn/, with regular open syllabification after a tense vowel.
              The answer to the question of whether the syllabification of CVCV sequences with primary stress on the first V and no stress on the second, as in ópen, should “always and only” produce open syllables or “always and only” closed syllables is, perhaps, best left to the level of theoretical phonology. For the purposes of teaching ESL pronunciation, the recognition of at least phonetic- level ambisyllabic consonants is probably the best solution. While errors in choosing open, closed, or half-closed syllabification may not often, by themselves, impede communication, correct syllabification is intimately tied to correct stress. And both of these are tied to choosing the right allophone. An error in stress and/or syllabification, then, may lead to these other phonetic errors which, when combined, may conspire to produce incomprehensible or strongly accented utterances. Finally, errors in English stress and syllabification are often tied to errors in the appropriate rhythm pattern. The latter alone is frequently the culprit in a breakdown in communication, especially at the phrase level.
For these reasons, it is suggested that the ESL instructor first teach English stress patterns, followed by word syllabification and finally word- and phrase-level rhythm patterns. Of course, in reality all three of these aspects of English would be taught and practiced together. However, it is suggested that the emphasis should be in the order: stress patterns, syllabification, then rhythmic patterns. This approach should be especially helpful to students whose native languages have a predominance of open syllables.