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Hyphenation ofincompassionateness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

in-com-pas-sion-ate-ness

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

/ɪnˌkɒmˈpæʃənˌeɪtnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

001010

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('pass'). The first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

in/ɪn/

Open syllable, containing a single vowel.

com/kɒm/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.

pas/pæʃ/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.

sion/ʃən/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.

ate/eɪt/

Open syllable, containing a diphthong.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

in-(prefix)
+
compassion(root)
+
-ness(suffix)

Prefix: in-

Old English, negation

Root: compassion

Old French/Latin, feeling of sympathy

Suffix: -ness

Old English, noun-forming suffix

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of lacking compassion; ruthlessness.

Examples:

"Her incompassionateness towards the refugees was shocking."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

compassioncom-pas-sion

Shares the root morpheme and similar syllable structure.

compassionatecom-pas-sion-ate

Shares the root morpheme and adds a similar suffix.

kindnesskind-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and a similar overall structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Attempting to create syllables with consonant clusters at the beginning (e.g., 'com-').

Vowel Peak Principle

Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.

Avoidance of Stranded Consonants

Consonants are generally assigned to the syllable they most naturally belong to.

Morphological Boundaries

Respecting morphemic boundaries when dividing syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The '-sion' sequence is treated as a single unit within the root.

The '-ate' ending is clearly part of the adjective formation before the '-ness' suffix.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'incompassionateness' is divided into six syllables: in-com-pas-sion-ate-ness. The primary stress falls on the third syllable ('pass'). It is morphologically complex, consisting of the prefix 'in-', the root 'compassion', and the suffix '-ness'. The syllabification follows standard English rules, prioritizing onsets and vowel peaks.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "incompassionateness" presents challenges due to its length and complex morphology. Pronunciation in GB English will generally follow standard Received Pronunciation (RP) or General British tendencies, with potential regional variations.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, which prioritize maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, the division will be as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: in- (Old English) - Negation.
  • Root: compassion (Old French compassion from Latin compassio - 'to suffer with') - Feeling or sympathy for another's suffering.
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English) - Noun-forming suffix denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: in-com-pass-ion-ate-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɪnˌkɒmˈpæʃənˌeɪtnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-sion" can sometimes be a point of variation, but in this case, it's treated as a single unit within the "compassion" root. The "-ate" ending is also a common source of variation, but here it's clearly part of the adjective formation before the "-ness" suffix.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a noun. There are no syllable or stress shifts based on grammatical function.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of lacking compassion; ruthlessness.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: heartlessness, mercilessness, insensitivity, coldness
  • Antonyms: compassion, empathy, kindness, sympathy
  • Example Usage: "Her incompassionateness towards the refugees was shocking."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Compassion: /kəmˈpæʃən/ - Syllable division: com-pas-sion. Similar structure, but shorter. Stress on the second syllable.
  • Compassionate: /kəmˈpæʃənət/ - Syllable division: com-pas-sion-ate. Adds a suffix, shifting stress to the second syllable.
  • Kindness: /ˈkaɪndnəs/ - Syllable division: kind-ness. Simpler structure, but shares the "-ness" suffix. Stress on the first syllable.

The differences in syllable division and stress are primarily due to the length and morphological complexity of "incompassionateness" compared to the other words. The addition of prefixes and suffixes influences both syllable count and stress placement.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables, but the core syllable division remains consistent. Regional accents might affect vowel quality but not the fundamental syllabic structure.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Onset Maximization: Attempting to create syllables with consonant clusters at the beginning (e.g., "com-").
  • Vowel Peak Principle: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.
  • Avoidance of Stranded Consonants: Consonants are generally assigned to the syllable they most naturally belong to.
  • Morphological Boundaries: Respecting morphemic boundaries when dividing syllables.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

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