Hyphenation ofincomprehensibleness

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

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "incomprehensibleness" is a complex noun, pronounced with considerable length and multiple syllables. The pronunciation in GB English exhibits a tendency towards reduced vowels in unstressed syllables.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, is as follows: in-com-pre-hen-si-ble-ness.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: in- (Latin, meaning 'not') - Negation.
• Root: comprehend (Latin comprehendere - to grasp entirely) - To understand.
• Suffix: -sible (Latin -bilis) - Adjective forming suffix, meaning 'capable of'.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes) - Noun forming suffix, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: hen. The stress pattern is relatively predictable given the morphological structure.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɪnˌkɒmprɪˈhen.sɪ.bl̩.nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The syllable "bl̩" represents a syllabic consonant, a common feature in GB English, where /l/ can function as a syllable nucleus following a consonant.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a noun. There are no significant syllabification or stress shifts if it were to hypothetically function as another part of speech (which it doesn't).

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state of being impossible to understand.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: unintelligibility, obscurity, incomprehensibility
• Antonyms: comprehensibility, clarity, understandability
• Examples: "The sheer incomprehensibleness of the quantum physics lecture left me completely lost."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• Understandable: un-der-stand-a-ble. Similar root and suffixes. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• Impossibility: im-pos-si-bil-i-ty. Similar prefix and suffixes. Stress falls on the third syllable.

The key difference is the length and complexity of the root in "incomprehensibleness," leading to a different stress placement and more syllables. The other words have simpler roots.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Onset-Rime Division: Dividing syllables based on the consonant cluster forming the onset and the remaining part as the rime.
2. Vowel-Consonant Division: When a vowel is followed by a consonant within a word, the syllable is typically divided before the consonant.
3. Maximizing Onset: Preference for including as many consonants as possible in the onset of a syllable.
4. Syllabic Consonant Rule: Allowing consonants like /l/ to function as syllable nuclei after a consonant.

Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology present a challenge for syllabification. The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a notable feature. Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might slightly alter the phonetic realization of the syllables, but not the core syllabic structure.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in "com" to a schwa /kəm/, but the syllable division remains the same.

Short Analysis:

"Incomprehensibleness" is a nine-syllable noun with primary stress on the fourth syllable (/ˈhen/). It's formed from the prefix in-, the root comprehend, and the suffixes -sible and -ness. Syllabification follows standard English rules, maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants, with a syllabic consonant in the "ble" syllable.