Hyphenation offeeble-mindedness
Syllable Division:
fee-ble-mind-ed-ness
Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)
/ˈfiːbl̩ ˈmaɪndɪdnəs/
Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)
00100
Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('mind').
Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound
Open syllable, long vowel.
Syllable with syllabic consonant.
Closed syllable, diphthong and consonant cluster.
Weak vowel and voiced alveolar plosive.
Closed syllable, schwa vowel.
Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)
Prefix: feeble
Latin origin, meaning weak.
Root: mind
Old English origin, denoting intellect.
Suffix: edness
Combination of past participle marker and noun-forming suffix.
The state of having limited intellectual capacity.
Examples:
"The doctor diagnosed the patient with feeble-mindedness."
Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features
The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end
Onset Maximization
Consonants are assigned to the following vowel to create an onset.
Avoid Stranded Consonants
Consonants are not left isolated between vowels.
Syllabic Consonants
Liquids (/l/, /r/) can form the nucleus of a syllable.
Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure
The syllabic /l/ in 'ble' may be pronounced as /blɪ/ by some speakers.
Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may occur.
Summary:
The word 'feeble-mindedness' is divided into five syllables: fee-ble-mind-ed-ness. The primary stress falls on 'mind'. It's a noun formed from the prefix 'feeble', the root 'mind', and the suffix '-edness'. The syllabification follows standard English rules of onset maximization and avoiding stranded consonants.
Detailed Analysis:
Linguistic Analysis of "feeble-mindedness" (English (GB))
1. Pronunciation Considerations:
The word "feeble-mindedness" presents challenges due to its length and the presence of multiple vowels and consonant clusters. British English pronunciation generally exhibits non-rhoticity (absence of /r/ after vowels), which will influence the phonetic transcription.
2. Syllable Division:
Following English syllable division rules, which prioritize maximizing onsets (consonant sounds at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, the word is divided as follows (orthographically):
3. Morphemic Analysis:
- Prefix: feeble- (Latin fremere - to tremble, weaken). Morphological function: Adjectival modifier indicating weakness.
- Root: mind- (Old English ge-mind - intellect, memory). Morphological function: Noun root denoting cognitive faculty.
- Suffix: -ed- (Old English -ed). Morphological function: Past tense/participle marker, here functioning as an adjectival modifier.
- Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes). Morphological function: Noun-forming suffix, creating a noun of state or quality.
4. Stress Identification:
The primary stress falls on the third syllable: mind. This is typical for words with multiple suffixes.
5. Phonetic Transcription:
/ˈfiːbl̩ ˈmaɪndɪdnəs/
6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:
| Syllable | IPA Transcription | Rule Explanation | Potential Exceptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| fee | /fiː/ | Open syllable, vowel followed by a glide. | None |
| ble | /bl̩/ | Syllable-final liquid consonant (/l/) forms a syllabic consonant. | Syllabic consonants are less common in some dialects. |
| mind | /maɪnd/ | Onset cluster /m/, diphthong /aɪ/, coda /nd/. | None |
| ed | /ɪd/ | Weak vowel schwa /ɪ/ followed by a voiced alveolar plosive /d/. | Can be reduced to /d/ in rapid speech. |
| ness | /nəs/ | Onset /n/, schwa vowel /ə/, coda /s/. | None |
7. Syllable Division Rules Applied:
- Onset Maximization: Consonants are generally assigned to the following vowel to create an onset.
- Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left isolated between vowels.
- Syllabic Consonants: Liquids (/l/, /r/) can form the nucleus of a syllable when they follow a consonant and are not followed by a vowel.
- Vowel-Consonant-Vowel (VCV) Pattern: In words with multiple vowels, syllables are often divided between them.
8. Exceptions & Special Cases:
The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a potential point of variation. Some speakers might pronounce it as a full syllable /blɪ/, but the syllabic form is more common in GB English.
9. Grammatical Role & Syllabification:
"Feeble-mindedness" primarily functions as a noun. As a noun, the stress pattern and syllabification remain consistent. It does not readily function as another part of speech.
10. Regional Variations:
Pronunciation of the vowel sounds may vary slightly across different regions of the UK. For example, the /aɪ/ in "mind" might be slightly more open in some dialects.
11. Phonological Comparison:
| Word | Syllables | Syllable Structure | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| happiness | hap-pi-ness | CV-CV-CVC | Similar suffix structure (-ness), stress on the penultimate syllable. |
| kindness | kind-ness | CVC-CVC | Similar suffix structure (-ness), stress on the first syllable. |
| weakness | weak-ness | CVC-CVC | Similar suffix structure (-ness), stress on the first syllable. |
The syllable structure of "feeble-mindedness" is more complex due to the initial consonant cluster and the syllabic consonant. However, the presence of the "-ness" suffix and the general pattern of stress on the root syllable are consistent with these similar words.
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