A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF FINAL WORD SYLLABLES IN ENGLISH AND STANDARD KURDISH

Abstract

English and Kurdish languages have different ways of dealing with the syllable according to each language’s unique system. Every syllable should have a nucleus, onset, and coda that are subject to language particular variation. The production of syllable shapes in specific languages may vary widely: some of the subparts can be obligatory. For example, onset and nucleus are required in many languages but the coda is optional as in English syllables, only the nucleus is compulsory, that is, each syllable must contain a nucleus. While syllable onsets and codas are optional. In the Kurdish language, the onset is required to be filled by only one consonant, i.e. no consonant cluster is allowed in the onset, and only two consonants are allowed in the coda. So, the various numbers of segments in the onset and coda increase the number of syllable types in each language.  Dealing with the numerous structures of syllables at the end of words needs more elaboration. Thus, this paper clarifies each one in detail in the below sections. At last, the similarities and differences between English and Kurdish final words are identified. The examples of Kurdish final words are based on the Latin script. It is concluded that both languages share some similarities and they have some differences.