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Hyphenation ofjustice-slighting

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

jus-tice-slight-ing

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

/ˈdʒʌstɪs slaɪtɪŋ/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0010

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('slight'). The stress pattern is 0 (unstressed) - 0 (unstressed) - 1 (primary stress) - 0 (unstressed).

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

jus/dʒʌs/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

tice/tɪs/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant cluster.

slight/slaɪt/

Open syllable, diphthong followed by a consonant. Primary stress.

ing/ɪŋ/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a nasal consonant cluster.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

justice(prefix)
+
slight(root)
+
ing(suffix)

Prefix: justice

Latin *justitia* - righteousness, equity; functions as an attributive adjective.

Root: slight

Old English *sliht* - injury, damage; verb root.

Suffix: ing

Old English *-ing*; progressive aspect marker, gerund/present participle formation.

Meanings & Definitions
Gerund/Present Participle(grammatical role in sentences)

The act of showing a lack of respect or fairness, particularly in a legal or judicial context.

Examples:

"His justice-slighting behavior led to a formal complaint."

"The justice-slighting remarks were deeply offensive."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

understandingun-der-stand-ing

Similar syllable structure with a suffix and a compound structure.

disagreeingdis-a-gree-ing

Similar prefix and suffix structure.

overlookingo-ver-look-ing

Similar structure with a prefix and suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant Division

Syllables are typically divided after a vowel sound, especially when followed by a consonant.

Avoid Consonant Clusters

English syllable division generally avoids splitting consonant clusters unless absolutely necessary.

Morpheme Boundaries

Morpheme boundaries often coincide with syllable boundaries, especially in compound words.

Special Considerations

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

The compound nature of the word presents a potential edge case.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may occur, but do not affect syllable division.

The 't' in 'justice' is a potential point of division ambiguity, but the morphemic structure dictates its inclusion in the first syllable.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'justice-slighting' is divided into four syllables: jus-tice-slight-ing. The primary stress falls on 'slight'. It's a compound word formed from 'justice' (prefix), 'slight' (root), and 'ing' (suffix). Syllable division follows vowel-consonant rules and respects morpheme boundaries.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "justice-slighting" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "justice-slighting" presents challenges due to its compound structure and the presence of multiple morphemes. The pronunciation in GB English will follow standard Received Pronunciation (RP) tendencies, with potential regional variations.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid splitting consonant clusters where possible, the division will be: jus-tice-slight-ing.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: justice- (Latin justitia - righteousness, equity). Morphological function: Noun acting as an attributive adjective.
  • Root: slight- (Old English sliht - injury, damage). Morphological function: Verb root.
  • Suffix: -ing (Old English -ing). Morphological function: Progressive aspect marker, or gerund/present participle formation.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: slight. This is typical for verb-derived gerunds/present participles. The stress pattern is 0-0-1-0.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈdʒʌstɪs slaɪtɪŋ/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • jus-: /dʒʌs/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Potential exception: The 'j' sound can sometimes be considered part of the following syllable, but here it clearly initiates the vowel sound.
  • tice-: /tɪs/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster. Exception: The 't' is part of the 'justice' morpheme and is not a typical syllable onset.
  • slight-: /slaɪt/ - Open syllable. Rule: Diphthong followed by a consonant.
  • ing-: /ɪŋ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by nasal consonant cluster. Exception: The 'ing' suffix often forms a weak syllable, but here it receives secondary stress due to the length of the word.

7. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word is the primary edge case. The hyphenated form highlights the two distinct lexical items combined. The 't' in 'justice' is a potential point of division ambiguity, but the morphemic structure dictates its inclusion in the first syllable.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Justice-slighting" functions primarily as a gerund or present participle (verbal noun). If used adjectivally (e.g., "a justice-slighting act"), the stress pattern remains the same.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The act of showing a lack of respect or fairness, particularly in a legal or judicial context.
  • Grammatical Category: Gerund/Present Participle (can function as a noun or adjective).
  • Synonyms: Disrespectful, unfair, unjust, slighting.
  • Antonyms: Respectful, fair, just.
  • Examples: "His justice-slighting behavior led to a formal complaint." "The justice-slighting remarks were deeply offensive."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in RP might affect the vowel quality (e.g., /ʌ/ vs. /ə/ in "justice"). However, the syllable division would remain consistent. Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • understanding: un-der-stand-ing - Similar syllable structure with a suffix. Stress on 'stand'.
  • disagreeing: dis-a-gree-ing - Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress on 'gree'.
  • overlooking: o-ver-look-ing - Similar structure with a prefix and suffix. Stress on 'look'.

The differences in stress placement are due to the inherent stress patterns of the root words and the morphological structure of each compound. "Justice-slighting" places stress on the verb root, while the others stress different parts of the word.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.