How Many Syllables In Australian?
4syllables
Australian has 4 syllables, au-stral-i-an. It is a polysyllabic word.
australian
/ɒˈstreɪl.i.ən/ UK /ɔːˈstreɪl.jən/ US
Australian can also be said with 3 syllables (US /ɔːˈstreɪl.jən/).
Stress
The main stress falls on the second syllable, stral.
Syllable Structure
V/CCCVC/V/VC
Division By Sound
/ɒ.streɪl.i.ən/
Division By Letters
au-stral-i-an
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Australian
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | ɒ | – | V | open |
| 2 primary stress | str | eɪ | l | CCCVC | closed |
| 3 | – | i | – | V | open |
| 4 | – | ə | n | VC | closed |
Why Australian Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /str/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Syllable 2 ends in /l/ because the next syllable cannot take it as an onset here.
- Two vowels meet between syllables 3 and 4, so syllable 4 has no onset.
Pronunciations
| Form | UK | US | Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | /ɒˈstreɪl.i.ən/ | /ɔːˈstreɪl.jən/ | 4 |
| Also | /ɒˈstreɪ.li.ən/ | 4 |
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in Australian?
Australian has 4 syllables, au-stral-i-an. In British English it is transcribed /ɒˈstreɪl.i.ən/.
Which syllable is stressed in Australian?
The second syllable, stral, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of Australian?
Australian has the structure V/CCCVC/V/VC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide Australian into syllables?
By sound, ɒ.streɪl.i.ən. By letters, as a spelling guide, au-stral-i-an.