counselorsatlaw
The word 'counselors-at-law' is divided into five syllables: coun-sel-ors-at-law. Stress falls on 'ors' and 'law'. It's a compound noun phrase with roots in Old French and Old English, denoting legal professionals. Syllable division follows vowel-initial and VCC rules, with considerations for the hyphenated structure and GB English non-rhoticity.
Definitions
- 1
Lawyers who provide legal advice and representation in court.
“The defendant hired experienced counselors-at-law.”
“She is a respected member of the counselors-at-law association.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the 'ors' syllable of 'counselors' and the 'law' syllable. The other syllables are unstressed.
Syllables
coun — Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.. sel — Closed syllable, vowel-consonant-consonant, unstressed.. ors — Closed syllable, vowel-consonant-consonant, stressed.. at — Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.. law — Open syllable, vowel-initial, stressed.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Vowel-Initial Syllable
Syllables beginning with a vowel sound are separated.
Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (VCC) Pattern
Syllables following a VCC pattern are divided after the vowel.
Onset Maximization
Consonant clusters are assigned to the onset of the syllable whenever possible.
- The hyphenated structure introduces a potential for phrasal separation, but the compound is generally treated as a single prosodic unit.
- The non-rhoticity of GB English affects the pronunciation of the /r/ sound.
Nearby Words
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