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Hyphenation ofdextroamphetamine

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dex-tro-am-phe-ta-mine

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

/ˌdɛks.trəʊ.æm.fɪˈtæ.miːn/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

010011

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('phe'). The stress pattern is typical for multi-syllabic words in English.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

dex/dɛks/

Open syllable, onset 'd', rime 'ex'

tro/trəʊ/

Closed syllable, onset 'tr', nucleus 'əʊ'

am/æm/

Closed syllable, nucleus 'æ', coda 'm'

phe/fɪ/

Closed syllable, onset 'f', nucleus 'ɪ'

ta/tæ/

Open syllable, onset 't', nucleus 'æ'

mine/miːn/

Closed syllable, onset 'm', nucleus 'iː', coda 'n'

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dextro-(prefix)
+
amphetamine(root)
+
(suffix)

Prefix: dextro-

Latin origin, meaning 'right' or 'right-handed', specifies stereoisomer

Root: amphetamine

Combination of Greek 'amphi-' and 'phetamine', core chemical structure

Suffix:

None

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A stimulant drug used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

Examples:

"The doctor prescribed dextroamphetamine to help manage his ADHD symptoms."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

amphetamineam-phe-ta-mine

Shares the same root and similar stress pattern.

methamphetamineme-tha-m-phe-ta-mine

Similar structure and root, differing only in the initial syllable.

dextrosedex-trose

Shares the 'dextro-' prefix and follows a similar syllabification pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime

Syllables are divided based on the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).

Avoid Consonant Clusters

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless a vowel intervenes.

Vowel Nucleus

Each syllable must contain a vowel sound (nucleus).

Special Considerations

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

Potential for schwa reduction in unstressed syllables.

The long vowel /iː/ in 'mine' could be analyzed as a complex nucleus.

Regional variations in pronunciation may affect vowel quality.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

Dextroamphetamine is a six-syllable word (dex-tro-am-phe-ta-mine) with primary stress on the penultimate syllable. It's a compound noun derived from Latin and Greek roots, and its syllabification follows standard English rules prioritizing vowel sounds and avoiding consonant cluster splits.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "dextroamphetamine" is a complex compound, and its pronunciation in British English (GB) follows established patterns for words of Greek and Latin origin. It's crucial to consider the schwa reduction common in unstressed syllables.

2. Syllable Division:

Following GB English syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid splitting consonant clusters where possible, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: dextro- (Latin, meaning "right" or "right-handed"). Morphological function: Specifies the stereoisomer.
  • Root: amphetamine (a combination of amphi- (Greek, meaning "both sides") and phetamine (derived from phainein - Greek, meaning "to appear" or "to show"). Morphological function: The core chemical structure.
  • Suffix: None. The word is a compound noun.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: dex-tro-am-phe-ta-mine.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌdɛks.trəʊ.æm.fɪˈtæ.miːn/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

  • dex /dɛks/ - Open syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime structure. 'd' is the onset, 'ex' is the rime. No exceptions.
  • tro /trəʊ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster 'tr' forms the onset, 'o' is the nucleus. Potential exception: The diphthong /əʊ/ could be analyzed as a complex nucleus.
  • am /æm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: 'a' is the nucleus, 'm' is the coda. No exceptions.
  • phe /fɪ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: 'f' is the onset, 'i' is the nucleus. No exceptions.
  • ta /tæ/ - Open syllable. Rule: 't' is the onset, 'a' is the nucleus. No exceptions.
  • mine /miːn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: 'm' is the onset, 'iː' is the nucleus, 'n' is the coda. Potential exception: The long vowel /iː/ could be considered a complex nucleus.

7. Edge Case Review:

The word's length and complex morphology present a challenge. The potential for schwa reduction in unstressed syllables (particularly in 'tro' and 'am') is a key consideration.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Dextroamphetamine" primarily functions as a noun (a specific chemical compound). It doesn't typically change form to function as other parts of speech, so syllabification and stress remain consistent.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A stimulant drug used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: Adderall (brand name), amphetamine
  • Antonyms: Sedatives, depressants
  • Examples: "The doctor prescribed dextroamphetamine to help manage his ADHD symptoms."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents a standard GB pronunciation, slight variations may occur. Some speakers might reduce the vowel in 'mine' to a schwa /mɪn/. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • amphetamine: am-phe-ta-mine. Similar structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • methamphetamine: me-tha-m-phe-ta-mine. Similar structure, stress on the antepenultimate syllable.
  • dextrose: dex-trose. Similar prefix, stress on the first syllable.

The key difference lies in the length and complexity of the root. "Dextroamphetamine" has a longer root than "dextrose" and "amphetamine", leading to more syllables. The stress pattern is consistent with the general rule of stressing the penultimate syllable in multi-syllabic words.

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

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Hyphenation is the process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.