Syllable (computing)

In computing, a syllable is a name for a platform-dependent unit of information storage. Depending on the target hardware, various bit widths (and sometimes internal groupings) are associated with it. Commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s, the term has mostly fallen into disuse in favour of terms like byte or word.

Examples:

3-bit syllables: some experimental CISC designs^[1]^[2]
8-bit syllables: English Electric KDF9 (represented as syllabic octals and also called slob-octals^[3]^[4] or slobs in this context)^[5] and Burroughs large systems (see also: Burroughs B6x00-7x00 instruction set)
12-bit syllables: NCR computers such as the NCR 315^[6] (also called slabs in this context)^[6]^[7]^[8] and Burroughs large systems
13-bit syllables: Saturn Launch Vehicle Digital Computer (LVDC)^[9] and Gemini Spacecraft On-Board Computer (OBC)^[10]

^ Cite error: The named reference Jones_2016_CISC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Jones_1988_CISC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Beard_1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference CCS_2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference EE_1961 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Schneider_1970 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference NCR_315_EDPS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Bardin_1963 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Burkey_2009_LVDC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Burkey_2010_Gemini was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Jones_2016_CISC-1] Cite error: The named reference Jones_2016_CISC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Jones_1988_CISC-2] Cite error: The named reference Jones_1988_CISC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Beard_1997-3] Cite error: The named reference Beard_1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[CCS_2009-4] Cite error: The named reference CCS_2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[EE_1961-5] Cite error: The named reference EE_1961 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Schneider_1970-6] Cite error: The named reference Schneider_1970 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[NCR_315_EDPS-7] Cite error: The named reference NCR_315_EDPS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Bardin_1963-8] Cite error: The named reference Bardin_1963 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Burkey_2009_LVDC-9] Cite error: The named reference Burkey_2009_LVDC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Burkey_2010_Gemini-10] Cite error: The named reference Burkey_2010_Gemini was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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