Syllable Structure & Sound Rules
What Are Phonotactics?
Phonotactics is the set of rules that governs which combinations of sounds are allowed in a language and where they can occur. Even though English has the sounds /s/, /t/, /r/, it does not allow words to start with /stl-/ because that violates English phonotactic rules. Every natural language has these constraints, and your conlang should too. Phonotactic rules make a language feel coherent and natural. Without them, your words might feel like random strings of sounds rather than words from a real language. These rules also determine the rhythm and flow of your language -- whether it sounds staccato and clipped or smooth and flowing.
Syllable Patterns
A syllable typically consists of three parts: an onset (initial consonant or consonant cluster), a nucleus (usually a vowel), and a coda (final consonant or consonant cluster). The nucleus is the only required element. Linguists use C for consonant and V for vowel to describe syllable patterns. A CV language (like many Polynesian languages) allows only syllables with one consonant followed by one vowel, producing words like 'talo' or 'mina.' A CVC language (like Arabic roots) adds a final consonant, giving words like 'kat' or 'bun.' More complex patterns like CCVCC (as in English 'strength') allow consonant clusters. The syllable structure you choose profoundly affects how your language sounds. CV languages tend to sound open and flowing, CVC languages sound balanced, and languages with large clusters can sound dense and complex.
Common Syllable Patterns
| Pattern | Structure | Example Words | Typical Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| V | Vowel only | a, o, i | Very open |
| CV | Consonant + Vowel | ta, ki, mo, salu | Flowing, open (Japanese, Hawaiian) |
| CVC | Consonant + Vowel + Consonant | kat, bun, mel | Balanced (Arabic, Turkish) |
| CVCC | C + V + two C's | bark, tent, milk | Heavier endings |
| CCV | Two C's + Vowel | tra, kli, pro | Clustered onsets (Slavic languages) |
| CCVC | Two C's + V + C | bran, trip, skan | Complex (English, German) |
| CCVCC | Two C's + V + two C's | strength, prints | Very dense (English max) |
Sound Changes and Allophony
Sound changes are systematic modifications that sounds undergo in certain environments. When a phoneme has different pronunciations depending on its context, those variations are called allophones. For instance, in English, the /t/ in 'top' is aspirated (released with a puff of air), but the /t/ in 'stop' is not. Both are allophones of the single phoneme /t/. Planning some allophonic rules for your conlang adds realism and depth. Common sound changes include voicing assimilation (a sound becomes voiced or voiceless to match its neighbor), nasalization (a vowel becomes nasal before a nasal consonant), palatalization (a consonant shifts its place of articulation before a front vowel), and vowel harmony (vowels in a word must share certain features). You do not need to implement all of these, but choosing one or two will make your language feel much more alive and consistent.
Syllable Structure Quiz
1. In the syllable pattern CVC, what does the final C represent?
2. Which syllable pattern would produce the most open, flowing sound?
3. What is an allophone?
Exercise: Define Your Syllable Rules
Define the phonotactic rules for your conlang. Consider the following: What syllable patterns are allowed (CV, CVC, CCVC, etc.)? Which consonants can appear in the onset? Which can appear in the coda? Are consonant clusters allowed, and if so, which combinations? Are there any sound changes or allophonic rules? For example, you might decide that your language only allows CV and CVC syllables, that only nasals (/m/, /n/) and liquids (/l/, /r/) can appear in the coda, and that vowels become nasalized before nasal consonants.