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Hyphenation oflong-sufferingly

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

long-suf-fer-ing-ly

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

/lɒŋˈsʌfərɪŋli/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('suf-fer-ing-ly').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

long/lɒŋ/

Open syllable, vowel followed by /ŋ/.

suf/sʌf/

Open syllable, vowel followed by /f/.

fer/fɜː/

Open syllable, vowel followed by /r/.

ing/ɪŋ/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant cluster.

ly/li/

Open syllable, vowel followed by /l/

Morphemic Breakdown

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

long-(prefix)
+
suffer-(root)
+
-ly(suffix)

Prefix: long-

Old English, intensifying prefix

Root: suffer-

Old English, to experience something unpleasant

Suffix: -ly

Old English, adverbial suffix

Meanings & Definitions
adverb(grammatical role in sentences)

In a patient or tolerant way.

Examples:

"She dealt with his constant complaints long-sufferingly."

"He listened to her story long-sufferingly."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Interestinglyin-ter-est-ing-ly

Shares the '-ly' suffix and similar stress pattern.

Happilyhap-pi-ly

Shares the '-ly' suffix, though stress is on the second syllable.

Quicklyquick-ly

Shares the '-ly' suffix, though stress is on the first syllable.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel + Consonant

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Vowel + Consonant Cluster

Syllables are divided after a vowel followed by a consonant cluster.

Open Syllable Principle

Syllables tend to be open (ending in a vowel sound) when possible.

Special Considerations

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

The '-ing' suffix is a common source of syllabification ambiguity.

The 'long-' prefix is treated as a single syllable due to its established pronunciation.

The word's length and morphological complexity require careful consideration of stress placement.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'long-sufferingly' is divided into five syllables: long-suf-fer-ing-ly. The primary stress falls on the third syllable. It's an adverb formed from the root 'suffer' with the prefixes 'long-' and suffixes '-ing' and '-ly'. Syllable division follows standard vowel-consonant rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "long-sufferingly" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced /lɒŋˈsʌfərɪŋli/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division: long-suf-fer-ing-ly

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: long- (Old English) - intensifying prefix.
  • Root: suffer- (Old English) - to experience or be subjected to something bad or unpleasant.
  • Suffix: -ing (Old English) - present participle/gerund forming suffix.
  • Suffix: -ly (Old English) - adverbial suffix, forming adverbs from adjectives.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /lɒŋˈsʌfərɪŋli/

6. Edge Case Review: The sequence "-fer-" can sometimes be ambiguous, but in this case, the clear vowel separation and the presence of the "-ing" suffix dictate the division.

7. Grammatical Role: The word functions solely as an adverb. There are no syllable or stress shifts based on part of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: In a patient or tolerant way.
  • Grammatical Category: Adverb
  • Synonyms: patiently, tolerantly, forbearing, understandingly
  • Antonyms: impatiently, intolerantly, resentfully
  • Examples: "She dealt with his constant complaints long-sufferingly." "He listened to her story long-sufferingly."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Interestingly: in-ter-est-ing-ly - Similar suffix "-ly", stress on the third syllable.
  • Happily: hap-pi-ly - Similar suffix "-ly", stress on the second syllable.
  • Quickly: quick-ly - Similar suffix "-ly", stress on the first syllable.

The difference in stress placement is due to the length and complexity of the root morpheme. "Long-suffer-" is a longer and more complex root than "happy-" or "quick-", leading to the stress shifting to the following syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

  • long: /lɒŋ/ - Open syllable, vowel followed by /ŋ/. Rule: Vowel + Consonant Cluster. Potential exception: /ŋ/ can sometimes act as a syllable break, but here it's part of the vowel sound.
  • suf: /sʌf/ - Open syllable, vowel followed by /f/. Rule: Vowel + Consonant.
  • fer: /ˈfɜː/ - Open syllable, vowel followed by /r/. Rule: Vowel + Consonant.
  • ing: /ɪŋ/ - Closed syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant cluster. Rule: Vowel + Consonant Cluster.
  • ly: /li/ - Open syllable, vowel followed by /l/. Rule: Vowel + Consonant.

Syllable Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel + Consonant: Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.
  2. Vowel + Consonant Cluster: Syllables are divided after a vowel followed by a consonant cluster.
  3. Open Syllable Principle: Syllables tend to be open (ending in a vowel sound) when possible.

Special Considerations:

  • The "-ing" suffix is a common source of syllabification ambiguity, but its function as a suffix clearly separates it.
  • The "long-" prefix is treated as a single syllable due to its established pronunciation.
  • The word's length and morphological complexity require careful consideration of stress placement.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While /lɒŋˈsʌfərɪŋli/ is the standard GB pronunciation, some speakers might reduce the vowel in "suffer" to a schwa /sə/, resulting in /lɒŋˈsəfərɪŋli/. This doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/12/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.