? about Megawords

[Nestof3]

We have begun the third book after completing the first two. Lessons 15F and 15G prove difficult for all of us because the division of syllables makes no sense to either of us. The word pathetic for example sounds like pa - the - tic to me, but it is supposed to be pa-thet-ic. Gigantic is gi-gan-tic. I know the aim of the lesson is using the endings -al and -ic, but we keep getting tripped up by the syllabication.

 

Can anyone help me with this?

[Momling]

Syllabification is often in the eye of the beholder. I've been to linguistics conferences where the idea of syllables was questioned heavily. There are general phonological rules regarding Cv or cvc or v or Ccv or vc hierarchy. And pa.the.tic would be correct. Anyway, I wouldn't stress over it.

[Nestof3]

Syllabification is often in the eye of the beholder. I've been to linguistics conferences where the idea of syllables was questioned heavily. There are general phonological rules regarding Cv or cvc or v or Ccv or vc hierarchy. And pa.the.tic would be correct. Anyway, I wouldn't stress over it.

 

Thank you so much. Since it isn't crucial to knowing the spelling of these -ic and -al words, I'll let it slide to some extent, but I begin feeling very nervous when the lesson doesn't make any sense to me. :001_huh:

[nmoira]

 

Can anyone help me with this?

Don't sweat it. Slight regional pronunciation differences can make you "hear" it differently, and I've seen it both ways in dictionaries.