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I read on the inernet that:

A word of ONE phonetic syllable, a word of less than FIVE letters cannot be divided into syllabographgs, e.g. piece [p/i:s], time [tai/m].

Source: http://studopedia.net/10_45843_Lecture-.html

So, am I right to think that folloing words can’t be divided: eagle[ˈi/ːɡl], garden [ˈɡɑːd/(ə)n], sudden [ˈsʌd(ə)n], rhythm [ˈrɪ/ð(ə)m]. In most transcribted words (ə) is optional, so it doesn't count, right?

However such dictionaries as cambridge dictionaty or merriam-webster DO divide them into syllables, moreover in different ways.

eagle [ˈiː/ - ɡl]

garden [ˈɡɑ/ː - d(ə)n]

sudden [ˈsʌ/d - /(ə)n], [ˈsʌ/ - d(ə/)n]

rhythm [ˈr/ɪð - (ə)/m], [ˈrɪ/ - ð(ə/)m]

Can anyone clear this up for me?

Note: Phonetic (spoken) syllables must not be confused with orthographic (written) syllables. An orthgraphic syllable is a group of letters in spelling. Syllables in writing are also called syllabographs.

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    It comes down to the definition of "syllable". I consider those words disyllabic. This word has only four letters and is disyllabic: suet. So that internet source is wrong. – TimR Apr 08 '15 at 14:32
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    It's not wrong, it's just being misinterpreted. As you can see from the word syllabograph**, it's talking about divisions in writing. As the page explains, this must be distinguished from syllabification in speech. –  Apr 08 '15 at 14:44
  • It's not quite grammatical: A word of one phonetic syllable, a word of less than five letters cannot be divided into syllabographgs [sic], e.g. piece [pi:s], time [taim].. A missing "or"? If I wanted to hyphenate "suet" I would feel free to do so; any strictures against doing so are merely typographic conventions. – TimR Apr 08 '15 at 23:25

1 Answers1

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It means when writing or typing, don't hyphenate words five letters or less even if they have two syllables.

This prevents things like

I wanted to tell her a- 
bout my travels.
LawrenceC
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  • ea-gle; gar-den; sud-den; rhy-thm. Double consonants are split amongst syllables (run-ning, lad-der, lat-tice); consonant clusters/multi-letter single sounds (ch in hitch-es, sh in wash-es, ti in na-tion, etc.) are not. – LawrenceC Apr 08 '15 at 19:01