9. Syllabication And Stress

9.1)  pujenaicajeba
    pu,je,nai,ca,je,ba

This word has no consonant pairs and is therefore syllabified before each medial consonant.

9.2)  ninmu
    nin,mu

This word is split at a consonant pair.

9.3)  fitpri
    fit,pri

This word is split at a consonant triple, between the first two consonants of the triple.

9.4)  sairgoi
    sair,goi
    sai,r,goi

This word contains the consonant pair ``rg''; the ``r'' may be pronounced syllabically or not.

9.5)  klezba
    klez,ba
    kle,zba

This word contains the permissible initial pair ``zb'', and so may be syllabicated either between ``z'' and ``b'' or before ``zb''.

Stress is a relatively louder pronunciation of one syllable in a word or group of words. Since every syllable has a vowel sound (or diphthong or syllabic consonant) as its nucleus, and the stress is on the vowel sound itself, the terms ``stressed syllable'' and ``stressed vowel'' are largely interchangeable concepts.

Most Lojban words are stressed on the next-to-the-last, or penultimate, syllable. In counting syllables, however, syllables whose vowel is ``y'' or which contain a syllabic consonant (``l'', ``m'', ``n'', or ``r'') are never counted. (The Lojban term for penultimate stress is ``da'amoi terbasna''.) Similarly, syllables created solely by adding a buffer vowel, such as [I], are not counted.

There are actually three levels of stress --- primary, secondary, and weak. Weak stress is the lowest level, so it really means no stress at all. Weak stress is required for syllables containing ``y'', a syllabic consonant, or a buffer vowel.

Primary stress is required on the penultimate syllable of Lojban content words (called ``brivla''). Lojbanized names may be stressed on any syllable, but if a syllable other than the penultimate is stressed, the syllable (or at least its vowel) must be capitalized in writing. Lojban structural words (called ``cmavo'') may be stressed on any syllable or none at all. However, primary stress may not be used in a syllable just preceding a brivla, unless a pause divides them; otherwise, the two words may run together.

Secondary stress is the optional and non-distinctive emphasis used for other syllables besides those required to have either weak or primary stress. There are few rules governing secondary stress, which typically will follow a speaker's native language habits or preferences. Secondary stress can be used for contrast, or for emphasis of a point. Secondary stress can be emphasized at any level up to primary stress, although the speaker must not allow a false primary stress in brivla, since errors in word resolution could result.

The following are Lojban words with stress explicitly shown:

9.6)  dikyjvo
    DI,ky,jvo

9.7)  .armstrong.
    .ARM,strong.

This is a Lojbanized version of the name ``Armstrong''. The final ``g'' must be explicitly pronounced. With full buffering, the name would be pronounced:

9.8)  [È/a rI mI sI tI ro nI gI/]

However, there is no need to insert a buffer in every possible place just because it is inserted in one place: partial buffering is also acceptable. In every case, however, the stress remains in the same place: on the first syllable.

The English pronunciation of ``Armstrong'', as spelled in English, is not correct by Lojban standards; the letters ``ng'' in English represent a velar nasal (IPA [N]) which is a single consonant. In Lojban, ``ng'' represents two separate consonants that must both be pronounced; you may not use [N] to pronounce Lojban ``ng'', although [Ng] is acceptable. English speakers are likely to have to pronounce the ending with a buffer, as one of the following:

9.9)  [È/arm stron gI/]
    or [È/arm stroN gI/]
    or even [È/arm stro nIg/]

The normal English pronunciation of the name ``Armstrong'' could be Lojbanized as:

9.10)    .ARMstron.

Here is another example showing the use of ``y'':

9.11)    bisydja
    BI,sy,dja
    BI,syd,ja

This word is a compound word, or lujvo, built from the two affixes ``bis'' and ``dja''. When they are joined, an impermissible consonant pair results: ``sd''. In accordance with the algorithm for making lujvo, explained in Chapter 4, a ``y'' is inserted to separate the impermissible consonant pair; the ``y'' is not counted as a syllable for purposes of stress determination.

9.12)    da'udja
    da'UD,ja
    da'U,dja

These two syllabications sound the same to a Lojban listener --- the association of unbuffered consonants in syllables is of no import in recognizing the word.

9.13)    e'u bridi
    e'u BRI,di
    E'u BRI,di
    e'U.BRI,di

In Example 9.13, ``e'u'' is a cmavo and ``bridi'' is a brivla. Either of the first two pronunciations is permitted: no primary stress on either syllable of ``e'u'', or primary stress on the first syllable. The third pronunciation, which places primary stress on the second syllable of the cmavo, requires that --- since the following word is a brivla --- the two words must be separated by a pause. Consider the following two cases:

9.14)    le re nobli prenu
    le re NObli PREnu

9.15) le re no bliprenu
    le re no bliPREnu

If the cmavo ``no'' in Example 9.15 were to be stressed, the phrase would sound exactly like the given pronunciation of Example 9.14, which is unacceptable in Lojban: a single pronunciation cannot represent both.