ladiesofthenight
The compound noun 'ladies-of-the-night' is syllabified as la-dies-of-the-night, with primary stress on 'ladies'. Syllabification follows the onset-rime principle, preserving consonant clusters and avoiding stranded consonants. The phrase functions as a single lexical item, influencing the syllabic division.
Definitions
- 1
Women who engage in prostitution.
“The police were patrolling the areas known for ladies-of-the-night.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the first syllable ('la' in 'ladies'). The remaining syllables receive secondary or reduced stress.
Syllables
la — Open syllable, unstressed.. dies — Closed syllable, stressed.. of — Open syllable, unstressed.. the — Open syllable, unstressed.. night — Closed syllable, unstressed.
Onset-Rime Principle
Syllables are formed around a vowel nucleus (rime) preceded by optional consonants (onset).
Consonant Cluster Preservation
Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless breaking them creates a more natural pronunciation.
Avoid Stranded Consonants
Consonants are not left isolated as syllable onsets or codas.
- The hyphenated structure could suggest more syllable breaks, but the phrase's semantic unity dictates a more streamlined syllabification.
Nearby Words
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