HyphenateIt

Hyphenation offoretellableness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

fore-tell-a-ble-ness

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

/ˌfɔːrˌtɛlˈəbl̩nəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

01011

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('tell'). The first and fourth syllables are secondary stressed, while the fifth syllable is unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

fore/fɔːr/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

tell/tɛl/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

a/ə/

Weak vowel syllable, schwa sound.

ble/bl̩/

Closed syllable with syllabic /l/.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, consonant followed by a vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

fore-(prefix)
+
tell(root)
+
-able-ness(suffix)

Prefix: fore-

Old English, meaning 'beforehand', 'in advance'.

Root: tell

Old English, meaning 'to declare', 'to announce'.

Suffix: -able-ness

Latin via French (-able) and Old English (-ness), forming an abstract noun denoting a quality.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The quality or state of being able to be foretold; predictability.

Examples:

"The foretellableness of the outcome was unsettling."

"Despite the attempts at analysis, the foretellableness of the market remained elusive."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

understandableun-der-stand-a-ble

Similar structure with prefixes and suffixes, demonstrating consistent syllabification patterns.

unforgettableun-for-get-ta-ble

Similar structure, showcasing consistent application of English syllabification rules.

responsibilityre-spon-si-bil-i-ty

Similar suffixation and stress patterns, highlighting the general rules of English syllable division.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable

A syllable ending in a vowel sound is considered open (e.g., 'fore', 'tell').

Closed Syllable

A syllable ending in a consonant sound is considered closed (e.g., 'ness', 'ble').

Syllabic Consonant

In certain contexts, /l/ can function as a syllabic consonant, forming a syllable on its own (e.g., 'ble').

Special Considerations

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

The syllabic /l/ in 'ble' is a common feature in English.

Potential vowel reduction in 'fore' to /fə/ in some accents.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'foretellableness' is divided into five syllables: fore-tell-a-ble-ness. The primary stress falls on 'tell'. The syllabification follows standard English rules, considering open and closed syllables, and the presence of a syllabic /l/. The word is morphologically complex, consisting of a prefix, root, and two suffixes.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "foretellableness" presents challenges due to its length and multiple morphemes. Pronunciation in GB English will generally follow standard Received Pronunciation (RP) or a similar accent.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: fore- (Old English) - meaning "beforehand," "in advance."
  • Root: tell (Old English) - meaning "to declare," "to announce."
  • Suffix: -able (Latin via French) - meaning "capable of being," "susceptible to."
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English) - forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: tell.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌfɔːrˌtɛlˈəbl̩nəs/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

  • fore-: /fɔːr/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: The 'r' is often pronounced as a retroflex approximant in RP.
  • tell-: /tɛl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant.
  • a-: /ə/ - Weak vowel syllable. Rule: Unstressed vowel often reduced to schwa.
  • ble-: /bl̩/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel. Syllabic consonant /l/ due to following /n/.
  • ness: /nəs/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant followed by a vowel.

7. Edge Case Review:

The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a common feature in English, particularly after alveolar consonants. The stress pattern is relatively standard for words of this length and morphological structure.

8. Grammatical Role:

"foretellableness" functions solely as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context (as it's not inflected).

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The quality or state of being able to be foretold; predictability.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: predictability, foreseeability, predetermination
  • Antonyms: unpredictability, uncertainty, randomness
  • Examples: "The foretellableness of the outcome was unsettling." "Despite the attempts at analysis, the foretellableness of the market remained elusive."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in "fore" to /fə/, leading to a slightly different pronunciation /ˌfərtɛlˈəbl̩nəs/. This doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • understandable: un-der-stand-a-ble. Similar structure with prefixes and suffixes. Stress on "stand".
  • unforgettable: un-for-get-ta-ble. Similar structure, stress on "get".
  • responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Similar suffixation, stress on "pon".

The syllable division in "foretellableness" aligns with these examples, demonstrating consistent application of English syllabification rules. The key difference lies in the length and the presence of the syllabic /l/.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/13/2025

The hottest word splits in English (GB)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

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.