A synalepha or synaloepha /ˌsɪnəˈliːfə/ is the merging of two syllables into one, especially when it causes two words to be pronounced as one.
The original meaning in Ancient Greek is more general than modern usage and includes coalescence of vowels within a word. Similarly, synalepha most often refers to elision (as in English contraction), but it can also refer to coalescence by other metaplasms: synizesis, synaeresis or crasis.
Examples
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Spanish, Portuguese and Italian use synalepha, which is important in counting syllables in poetry. An example is in this hendecasyllable (11-syllable line) by Garcilaso de la Vega:
- Los cabellos que al oro oscurecían.
- The hair that endarkened the gold.
The words que and al form one syllable in counting them because of synalepha. The same thing happens with -ro and os- and so the line has eleven syllables (syllable boundaries are shown by a dot):
- Los·ca·be·llos·queal·o·roos·cu·re·cí·an.
See also
- Metaplasm
- Elision—Contraction (grammar)
- Apheresis (initial)
- Syncope (medial)
- Apocope (final)
- Crasis
- Synizesis (merge into one syllable without change in writing)
- Synaeresis—opposite Diaeresis
- Elision—Contraction (grammar)
- Correption
Notes
- Greek συναλοιφή (or συναλιφή), from συναλείφω: συν- "together" and ἀλείφω "I anoint", "smear". Alternation between οι, ει, and ι in verb root is ablaut.
- W. Sidney Allen, Vox Graeca, chart of "Types of vowel-junction", p. 98.
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A synalepha or synaloepha ˌ s ɪ n e ˈ l iː f e is the merging of two syllables into one especially when it causes two words to be pronounced as one The original meaning in Ancient Greek is more general than modern usage and includes coalescence of vowels within a word Similarly synalepha most often refers to elision as in English contraction but it can also refer to coalescence by other metaplasms synizesis synaeresis or crasis ExamplesThis section possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message Spanish Portuguese and Italian use synalepha which is important in counting syllables in poetry An example is in this hendecasyllable 11 syllable line by Garcilaso de la Vega Los cabellos que al oro oscurecian The hair that endarkened the gold dd The words que and al form one syllable in counting them because of synalepha The same thing happens with ro and os and so the line has eleven syllables syllable boundaries are shown by a dot Los ca be llos queal o roos cu re ci an See alsoMetaplasm Elision Contraction grammar Apheresis initial Syncope medial Apocope final Crasis Synizesis merge into one syllable without change in writing Synaeresis opposite Diaeresis CorreptionNotesGreek synaloifh or synalifh from synaleifw syn together and ἀleifw I anoint smear Alternation between oi ei and i in verb root is ablaut W Sidney Allen Vox Graeca chart of Types of vowel junction p 98 This phonology article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte
