A syllable is a single beat of sound in a word, usually containing a vowel sound. Words can have one syllable, like 'cat', or many, like 'elephant'.
From Old French 'sillabe', from Latin 'syllaba', from Greek 'syllabē' meaning 'that which is taken together'. It referred to letters or sounds grouped together in a single unit of pronunciation.
Clapping out syllables turns language into rhythm, which is why it helps children learn to read. Poets and rappers carefully count syllables to control the music hiding inside speech.
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