halfintelligible
Syllables
half-in-tel-li-gi-ble
Pronunciation
/ˌhɑːf ɪnˈtelɪdʒɪbl̩/
Stress
0 0 0 1 0 0
Morphemes
half + intelleg + ible
The word 'half-intelligible' is divided into six syllables: half-in-tel-li-gi-ble. The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('gi'). The word is morphologically complex, consisting of the prefix 'half-', the root 'intelleg-', and the suffix '-ible'. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel sounds and consonant clusters, with a syllabic consonant in the final syllable.
Definitions
- 1
Barely understandable; difficult to comprehend.
“His explanation was half-intelligible due to his mumbling.”
“The recording was of such poor quality that the message was half-intelligible.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('gi'), following the pattern of stressing the penultimate syllable in words ending in '-ible'.
Syllables
half — Open syllable, single vowel sound.. in — Closed syllable, consonant cluster following a vowel.. tel — Open syllable, single vowel sound.. li — Open syllable, single vowel sound.. gi — Open syllable, palatalized 'g' sound.. ble — Closed syllable, syllabic consonant /l/
Word Parts
Similar Words
Vowel Sound Rule
Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
Consonant Cluster Rule
Consonant clusters following a vowel sound typically form a syllable.
Syllabic Consonant Rule
A consonant can form a syllable if it functions as a vowel (e.g., /l̩/).
- The hyphenated prefix 'half-' is treated as a separate morpheme but integrated into the syllabic structure.
- The syllabic /l/ in 'ble' requires careful consideration.
- Potential vowel reduction in 'half' in some dialects.
Nearby Words
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