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Hyphenation ofattention-getting

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

at-ten-tion-get-ting

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

/əˈtɛnʃən ˈɡɛtɪŋ/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

01010

Primary stress falls on the second syllable of 'attention' (/ˈtɛn/) and the second syllable of 'getting' (/ˈɡɛt/). The other syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

at/æt/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ten/tɛn/

Open syllable, stressed.

tion/ʃən/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

get/ɡɛt/

Open syllable, stressed.

ting/tɪŋ/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

at-(prefix)
+
ten-(root)
+
-tion(suffix)

Prefix: at-

Old English intensifying prefix

Root: ten-

Latin *tenēre* 'to hold'

Suffix: -tion

Latin nominalizing suffix

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Designed to attract or hold someone's interest; noteworthy.

Examples:

"The museum featured an attention-getting exhibit."

"She wore an attention-getting dress."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

understandingun-der-stand-ing

Similar vowel reduction and stress patterns.

interestingin-ter-est-ing

Similar stress on the second syllable, vowel reduction.

forgettingfor-get-ting

Similar -ing suffix and stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Rule

Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are split according to sonority.

Compound Word Rule

Compound words are divided between their constituent parts.

Special Considerations

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

The 'tt' in 'attention' is divided as 't-ten' following the vowel rule.

The hyphen in 'attention-getting' is a morphological marker and doesn't affect syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'attention-getting' is divided into five syllables: at-ten-tion-get-ting. It's a compound adjective with primary stress on the second syllable of each component word. The syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel sounds and consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "attention-getting" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "attention-getting" is pronounced /əˈtɛnʃən ˈɡɛtɪŋ/ in General British English. It's a compound adjective formed by combining "attention" and "getting."

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: at-ten-tion-get-ting

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: at- (Old English, intensifying prefix, though its function is largely historical here, contributing to the meaning of 'directed towards')
  • Root: ten- (from Latin tenēre 'to hold', relating to holding focus or interest) - part of the root "attention"
  • Suffix: -tion (Latin, nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb) - part of the root "attention"
  • Root: get (Old English, meaning 'obtain, acquire')
  • Suffix: -ing (Old English, progressive/gerundive suffix, forming a present participle/gerund)

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable of "attention" and the second syllable of "getting". This is represented as: /əˈtɛnʃən ˈɡɛtɪŋ/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/əˈtɛnʃən ˈɡɛtɪŋ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated nature of the compound adjective doesn't significantly alter syllabification rules. The division within each component word ("attention" and "getting") follows standard English syllabification.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Attention-getting" functions primarily as an adjective. As an adjective, the stress pattern remains consistent. It doesn't readily convert to other parts of speech without significant modification.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Designed to attract or hold someone's interest; noteworthy.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: interesting, captivating, engaging, striking, noticeable
  • Antonyms: boring, uninteresting, dull, unremarkable
  • Examples: "The museum featured an attention-getting exhibit." "She wore an attention-getting dress."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "understanding": un-der-stand-ing (similar vowel reduction and stress patterns)
  • "interesting": in-ter-est-ing (similar stress on the second syllable, vowel reduction)
  • "forgetting": for-get-ting (similar -ing suffix and stress pattern)

The syllable structures are comparable, all exhibiting a mix of open and closed syllables. The presence of schwa /ə/ in unstressed syllables is consistent across these words.

10. Division Rules:

  • Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are split according to sonority (more sonorous sounds tend to be syllable onsets).
  • Compound Word Rule: Compound words are divided between their constituent parts.

11. Special Considerations:

The 'tt' in "attention" doesn't create a dipthong, and is divided as 't-ten' following the vowel rule. The hyphen in "attention-getting" is a morphological marker and doesn't affect syllabification.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.