A Comparison and Analysis of the Models of the Syllabification of English Consonant Clusters

This paper analyzes and compares several major models of the syllabification of English consonant clusters.The analysis and comparison show that not all word-initial consonant clusters belong to the same syllable.Compared with other models,CCVX(CCVC or CCVV) is more powerful and restrictive.This model is convincing considering the same treatment both initially and internally,articulation,and people's intuition of syllable division.It reflects the practical phonotactics of English and has the same treatments to consonant clusters at different positions and the same treatment to both monosyllabic and polysyllabic words.CCVX model is based on GP.Its licensing and government principles show the dependent relations between consonants,and the proposal about empty nucleus is able to eliminate the seemingly irregular consonant clusters and to explain null-voweled syllables and language changes such as syncope.GP neatly explains the difference between word-medial and word-final consonants which fail to trigger closed-syllable shortening.Concerning the hard nut,sC,sCC clusters,in the framework of CCVX,sC is heterosyllabic,which eliminates the blame of its violation of SSP.And the proposal that /s/ in sCC is a coda is well-founded.To solve the problem of two adjacent empty nucleus in V.C.C.CCV(co.n.s.cript),this paper offers explanation and treatment,which is in line with the pattern of branching onset and rhyme taking two positions in CCVX.