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Hyphenation ofalkylbenzenesulfonate

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

al-kyl-ben-ziin-sul-fo-neit

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/ˈæl.kɪl.ben.ziːn.sʌl.foʊ.neɪt/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

1001010

Primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable ('ben').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

al/æl/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

kyl/kɪl/

Closed syllable, vowel surrounded by consonants.

ben/ben/

Open syllable, onset maximization.

ziin/ziːn/

Closed syllable, vowel surrounded by consonants.

sul/sʌl/

Closed syllable, vowel surrounded by consonants.

fo/foʊ/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

neit/neɪt/

Closed syllable, vowel surrounded by consonants.

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

alkyl(prefix)
+
benzene(root)
+
sulfonate(suffix)

Prefix: alkyl

Derived from 'alkyl', indicating an aliphatic hydrocarbon group. Origin: Chemistry nomenclature.

Root: benzene

Derived from benzene (C6H6). Origin: Arabic 'banj' (resin).

Suffix: sulfonate

Combining form 'sulfo-' (from sulfur) + suffix '-nate' (from '-ate'). Origin: Latin.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A salt or ester of alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, widely used as a surfactant (detergent).

Examples:

"Sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate is a common ingredient in laundry detergents."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photovoltaicpho-to-vol-ta-ic

Similar structure with multiple syllables and consonant clusters.

chlorobenzeneschlo-ro-ben-zenes

Shares the 'benzene' root and similar suffix structure.

methylbenzeneme-thyl-ben-zene

Shares the 'benzene' root and similar syllable division principles.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Onsets

Prioritizing consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables.

Avoid Stranded Consonants

Preventing consonants from being left alone in a syllable.

Vowel-Consonant Pattern

Dividing syllables based on vowel-consonant sequences.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

Potential for analyzing 'ben' and 'ziːn' as a single syllable, but the /z/ sound creates a natural division point.

Regional variations in vowel quality may exist but do not significantly impact syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'alkylbenzenesulfonate' is divided into seven syllables: al-kyl-ben-ziin-sul-fo-neit. Primary stress falls on 'ben'. The word is morphologically complex, consisting of a prefix, root, and suffix. Syllable division follows standard English (GB) rules prioritizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "alkylbenzenesulfonate" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "alkylbenzenesulfonate" presents challenges due to its length and the presence of multiple consonant clusters. British English pronunciation generally favors a more conservative articulation of these clusters compared to some American English dialects.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English (GB) syllable division rules, which prioritize maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, the division will be as follows.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • alkyl-: Prefix, derived from 'alkyl' (referring to an aliphatic hydrocarbon group). Origin: Chemistry nomenclature. Morphological function: Indicates the presence of an alkyl group.
  • benzene-: Root, derived from benzene (C6H6). Origin: German chemist Friedrich August Kekulé, ultimately from Arabic 'banj' (resin). Morphological function: Core structural component.
  • sulfo-: Combining form, derived from 'sulfur'. Origin: Latin 'sulfur'. Morphological function: Indicates the presence of a sulfonate group.
  • -nate: Suffix, derived from '-ate'. Origin: Latin '-atus'. Morphological function: Forms a noun indicating a salt or ester.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable (the third syllable from the end).

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈæl.kɪl.ben.ziːn.sʌl.foʊ.neɪt/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • al-: /æl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: Initial syllable.
  • kyl: /kɪl/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.
  • ben: /ben/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonants, but onset maximization.
  • ziin: /ziːn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.
  • sul: /sʌl/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.
  • fo: /foʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant.
  • neit: /neɪt/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.

7. Edge Case Review:

The "ben" syllable could potentially be analyzed as part of a larger syllable "ben-ziːn" due to the relatively weak boundary. However, the presence of the /z/ sound creates a natural division point. The cluster /nz/ is common in English and doesn't necessitate combining the syllables.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Alkylbenzenesulfonate" primarily functions as a noun, referring to a specific chemical compound. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A salt or ester of alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, widely used as a surfactant (detergent).
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: Detergent, surface-active agent
  • Antonyms: None directly applicable.
  • Examples: "Sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate is a common ingredient in laundry detergents."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might slightly alter the vowel quality (e.g., /æ/ vs. /ɑː/ in "al-"). However, these variations do not significantly impact the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • photovoltaic: pho-to-vol-ta-ic. Similar structure with multiple syllables and consonant clusters. Stress pattern differs.
  • chlorobenzenes: chlo-ro-ben-zenes. Similar root ("benzene") and suffix structure. Syllable division is comparable.
  • methylbenzene: me-thyl-ben-zene. Shorter, but shares the "benzene" root and similar syllable division principles.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/5/2025

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