Rhythm and intonation in colloquial Newari

In the analysis of speech or a series of utterances, it is of advantage to begin with the syllable. A syllable however, is an ambiguous term and there is yet no satisfactory definition of the syllable as a unit of speech production and perception. From the articulation point of view, a syllable can be regarded as a movement of the vocal organs or rather the respiratory muscles referred to a a 'chest-pulse', 'breath-pulse', or a 'syllable-pulse'. A syllable therefore can be taken as a minimum unit of an utterance, either in its audible or inaudible form.