Hyphenation ofcross-examination

Linguistic Analysis of "cross-examination" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation:

The word "cross-examination" is pronounced /ˌkrɒs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: cross-ex-am-i-na-tion

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: cross- (Old English) - Function: Adverbial particle, indicating opposition or intersection.
• Root: examine (Latin examinare - to test, investigate) - Function: Verb, denoting the act of inspecting or questioning.
• Suffix: -ation (Latin -atio) - Function: Noun-forming suffix, creating a noun of action from a verb.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: /ˌkrɒs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/. Secondary stress is on the first syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌkrɒs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• cross: /krɒs/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). Potential exception: The 'ss' digraph could be considered a single consonant cluster, but is treated as two for syllabification.
• ex: /eks/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel.
• am: /æm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s).
• i: /ɪ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Single vowel constitutes a syllable.
• na: /nə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by consonant.
• tion: /ʃən/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel.

7. Edge Case Review:

The combination of 'ex' and 'am' can sometimes be debated, but the common practice in English syllabification is to separate them due to the distinct vowel sounds. The 'tion' suffix is a common ending and generally forms its own syllable.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Cross-examination" primarily functions as a noun. While "examine" is a verb, adding the suffix "-ation" transforms it into a noun denoting the process of examination. The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the root verb's function.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The questioning of a witness called by the opposing side in a court of law.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: Interrogation, questioning, grilling.
• Antonyms: Direct examination, testimony.
• Examples: "The lawyer conducted a thorough cross-examination of the defendant."

10. Phonological Comparison:

• Information: in-for-ma-tion (4 syllables) - Similar structure with a suffix, but different vowel sounds and consonant clusters.
• Examination: ex-am-i-na-tion (5 syllables) - Shares the 'nation' ending, demonstrating consistent syllabification of this suffix.
• Communication: com-mu-ni-ca-tion (5 syllables) - Similar length and structure, with multiple vowel-consonant patterns.

11. Division Rules:

• Vowel Rule: A vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often broken up to create syllables, but digraphs can be treated as single sounds.
• Suffix Rule: Suffixes typically form their own syllables.

12. Special Considerations:

The word contains several consonant clusters, which require careful consideration when applying syllabification rules. The stress pattern is crucial for accurate pronunciation and understanding. Regional variations in pronunciation might slightly alter the syllable boundaries, but the overall structure remains consistent.

13. Short Analysis:

"Cross-examination" is a five-syllable word (cross-ex-am-i-na-tion) with primary stress on the fourth syllable. It's morphologically composed of the prefix "cross-", the root "examine", and the suffix "-ation". Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel sounds and consonant clusters.