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Hyphenation ofcounterrevolutionary

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

coun-ter-rev-o-lu-tion-ar-y

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

/ˌkaʊntərˌrevəˈljuːʃənəri/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0100001

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable (/ˈljuːʃənəri/), secondary stress on the first syllable (/kaʊn/). The stress pattern is typical for words of this length and morphological structure.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

coun/kaʊn/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ter/tə/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

rev/rev/

Open syllable, unstressed.

o/ə/

Open syllable, unstressed.

lu/luː/

Open syllable, unstressed.

tion/ʃən/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

ar/ə/

Open syllable, unstressed.

y/ri/

Closed syllable, stressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

counter(prefix)
+
revolution(root)
+
ary(suffix)

Prefix: counter

French origin, meaning 'against' or 'opposing', negation/opposition

Root: revolution

Latin origin (revolutio), core meaning

Suffix: ary

Latin origin (-arius), adjective formation

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Opposed to or seeking to reverse a revolution.

Examples:

"The counterrevolutionary forces attempted to overthrow the government."

noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A person who opposes a revolution.

Examples:

"He was labeled a counterrevolutionary by the new regime."

Synonyms: reactionary
Antonyms: revolutionary
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

revolutionaryrev-o-lu-tion-ar-y

Shares the 'revolution' root and '-ary' suffix, similar stress pattern.

evolutionarye-vo-lu-tion-ar-y

Shares the 'evolution' root and '-ary' suffix, similar stress pattern.

constitutionalcon-sti-tu-tion-al

Shares the '-tion-al' suffix, demonstrating consistent suffix syllabification.

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 based on established pronunciation and sonority, but the pronunciation dictates the division.

Prefix/Suffix Rule

Prefixes and suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

Stress-Timing Rule

English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable duration and prominence.

Special Considerations

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

The pronunciation of 'counter' can vary slightly (/kɑːnter/ or /kaʊntə/), but the syllable division remains consistent.

The 'revo' sequence could be ambiguous, but the established pronunciation dictates the division as 'rev-o'.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'counterrevolutionary' is divided into eight syllables: coun-ter-rev-o-lu-tion-ar-y. It comprises the prefix 'counter-', the root 'revolution', and the suffix '-ary'. The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable. Syllabification follows vowel and consonant cluster rules, guided by established pronunciation.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "counterrevolutionary" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced /ˌkaʊntərˌrevəˈljuːʃənəri/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: coun-ter-rev-o-lu-tion-ar-y

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: counter- (French origin, meaning "against" or "opposing"). Morphological function: negation/opposition.
  • Root: revolution (Latin revolutio - a turning around, change). Morphological function: core meaning.
  • Suffix: -ary (Latin -arius, forming adjectives relating to a thing). Morphological function: adjective formation.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: /ˌkaʊntərˌrevəˈljuːʃənəri/. Secondary stress is on the first syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ˌkaʊntərˌrevəˈljuːʃənəri/

6. Edge Case Review: The sequence "revo" presents a potential ambiguity. However, the established pronunciation and morphological structure dictate the division as "rev-o".

7. Grammatical Role: "Counterrevolutionary" primarily functions as an adjective. As an adjective, the stress pattern remains consistent. It can also function as a noun, referring to a person holding such beliefs. In noun form, the stress pattern remains the same.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Opposed to or seeking to reverse a revolution.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective, Noun
  • Synonyms: reactionary, conservative (in a political context)
  • Antonyms: revolutionary, progressive
  • Examples: "The counterrevolutionary forces attempted to overthrow the government." "He was labeled a counterrevolutionary by the new regime."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • revolutionary: rev-o-lu-tion-ar-y. Similar structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • evolutionary: e-vo-lu-tion-ar-y. Similar structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • constitutional: con-sti-tu-tion-al. Different syllable count, but shares the "-tion-al" suffix, with stress on the antepenultimate syllable. The difference in syllable division is due to the initial consonant cluster and vowel quality.

10. Division Rules:

  • Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often split based on sonority, but in this case, the established pronunciation dictates the division.
  • Prefix/Suffix Rule: Prefixes and suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.
  • Stress-Timing Rule: English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable duration and prominence.

11. Special Considerations: The "counter" prefix can sometimes be pronounced as /kɑːnter/ or /kaʊntə/, which could slightly affect the perceived syllable boundaries, but the standard division remains consistent.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: While the provided IPA is standard for GB English, some regional variations might exist, particularly in vowel quality. These variations would not significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/5/2025

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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.