Problem understanding Tonic Syllables and Onset Syllables

[FarhatAlam]

I am having a hard time understanding what is a tonic syllable and an onset syllable. I missed the lecture at my University on this, and my friend who attended tried briefing it to me.

What I understood from her briefing is: a tonic syllable is the stressed syllable of the main word of a sentence. As in: She lives in London.

But I am not sure if it's a correct definition/example.

About onset syllables, I have only the definition: The syllables that establish a pitch that stays constant up to the tonic syllable are called onset syllables, as in: She lives in London. but my friend said that "Lon" is tonic syllable and "don" is an onset syllables.

I don't speak English as my native language and neither did I study in an English medium school; may be that's why I am having a tough time understanding the definitions.

I'd appreciate any sort of help regarding this, I have my final exam tomorrow and I feel helpless.

[5jj]

Only a brief answer, as intonation is not my strong point. Your friend's explanation of 'tonic syllable' is, broadly speaking, correct. The onset syllable is the one bearing a secondary stress that starts the pitch. In your sentence, 'lives' is the onset, 'Lon' the tonic.

[konungursvia]

Yes; one additional way to think about the distinction is to note that tonic accent syllables are clearly stronger and louder than the others; onset accented syllables are set apart more by rhythm and a sing-song tone of voice, as seen in Italian: internazion'ale.

That's the way I learnt it.

Only a brief answer, as intonation is not my strong point. Your friend's explanation of 'tonic syllable' is, broadly speaking, correct. The onset syllable is the one bearing a secondary stress that starts the pitch. In your sentence, 'lives' is the onset, 'Lon' the tonic.