HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofmacrophotography

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ma-cro-pho-to-gra-phy

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

/ˌmæk.rəˈfɒt.ə.ɡrə.fi/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('to'). The other syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

ma/mə/

Open syllable, unstressed.

cro/krəʊ/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

pho/fəʊ/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

to/tə/

Open syllable, stressed.

gra/ɡrə/

Open syllable, unstressed.

phy/fi/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

macro-(prefix)
+
photo-(root)
+
-graphy(suffix)

Prefix: macro-

Greek origin, meaning 'large', functions as a scale indicator.

Root: photo-

Greek origin, meaning 'light', relates to image capture.

Suffix: -graphy

Greek origin, meaning 'writing/recording', indicates a process.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The art or practice of taking extremely close-up photographs of small subjects.

Examples:

"He specializes in macrophotography of insects."

"The exhibition featured stunning examples of macrophotography."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photographypho-to-gra-phy

Shares the '-graphy' suffix and similar syllable structure.

biographybi-o-gra-phy

Shares the '-graphy' suffix and similar syllable structure.

autographyau-to-gra-phy

Shares the '-graphy' suffix and similar syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open/Closed Syllable Rule

Syllables are divided based on whether they end in a vowel sound (open) or a consonant sound (closed).

Consonant Blend Rule

Consonant clusters are treated as single units when dividing syllables.

Digraph Rule

Digraphs like 'ph' are treated as a single sound unit.

Special Considerations

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

The digraph 'ph' is treated as a single consonant sound /f/ for syllabification.

The schwa sound /ə/ is common in unstressed syllables and doesn't affect the syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

Macrophotography is a six-syllable noun (ma-cro-pho-to-gra-phy) with primary stress on the fourth syllable ('to'). It's formed from the Greek prefixes 'macro-' and 'photo-' and the suffix '-graphy', denoting the technique of taking close-up photographs. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel and consonant patterns.

Detailed Analysis:

Detailed Linguistic Analysis of "macrophotography" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "macrophotography" is pronounced in British English as /ˌmæk.rəˈfɒt.ə.ɡrə.fi/. The pronunciation involves several schwa sounds and a primary stress on the fourth syllable.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only the original letters, is: ma-cro-pho-to-gra-phy

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: macro- (Greek, meaning "large") - functions to denote scale.
  • Root: photo- (Greek, meaning "light") - relates to the process of capturing images.
  • Suffix: -graphy (Greek, meaning "writing" or "recording") - indicates a process or technique.
  • Suffix: -y (English, nominalizing suffix) - converts the verb "graph" into a noun.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: ma-cro-pho-to-gra-phy.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌmæk.rəˈfɒt.ə.ɡrə.fi/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "ph" is a digraph representing /f/. The schwa sound /ə/ is common in unstressed syllables in English. The word is relatively straightforward in terms of syllabification, with no major exceptions.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Macrophotography" primarily functions as a noun. It does not readily shift to other parts of speech without significant modification. Therefore, the syllabification and stress remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The art or practice of taking extremely close-up photographs of small subjects.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: close-up photography, microphotography
  • Antonyms: landscape photography, wide-angle photography
  • Examples:
    • "He specializes in macrophotography of insects."
    • "The exhibition featured stunning examples of macrophotography."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Photography: pho-to-gra-phy - Similar syllable structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • Biography: bi-o-gra-phy - Similar suffix "-graphy", stress on the third syllable.
  • Autography: au-to-gra-phy - Similar suffix "-graphy", stress on the third syllable.

The consistent presence of "-graphy" dictates a similar syllabic pattern. The differing prefixes and initial syllables influence the stress placement.

Syllable Breakdown with Rules & IPA:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
ma /mə/ Open syllable, unstressed Vowel followed by consonant None
cro /krəʊ/ Closed syllable, unstressed Consonant blend followed by vowel None
pho /fəʊ/ Closed syllable, unstressed Digraph "ph" /f/, vowel None
to /tə/ Open syllable, stressed Vowel preceded by consonant None
gra /ɡrə/ Open syllable, unstressed Consonant blend followed by vowel None
phy /fi/ Closed syllable, unstressed Vowel followed by consonant None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant-E Rule: Not applicable.
  2. Consonant Blend Rule: Applied in "cro" and "gra" where consonant clusters are present.
  3. Vowel Team Rule: Applied in "pho" where "ph" represents a single sound.
  4. Open/Closed Syllable Rule: Syllables are divided based on whether they end in a vowel sound (open) or a consonant sound (closed).

Special Considerations:

The digraph "ph" is treated as a single consonant sound /f/ for syllabification purposes. The schwa sound /ə/ is common in unstressed syllables and doesn't affect the syllable division.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents standard British English pronunciation, slight variations may occur in regional accents. These variations are unlikely to significantly alter the syllable division.

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

The hottest word splits in English (GB)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

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.