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Hyphenation ofmeter-kilogram-second

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

me-ter-ki-lo-gram-se-cond

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

/ˈmiːtər ˈkɪləʊɡræm ˈsɛkənd/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

10 10 10

Primary stress falls on the second syllable of each component: 'me-ter', 'ki-lo-gram', 'sec-ond'.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

me/miː/

Open syllable, onset 'm', rime 'iː'

ter/tər/

Closed syllable, onset 't', rime 'ər'

ki/kɪ/

Open syllable, onset 'k', rime 'i'

lo/ləʊ/

Open syllable, onset 'l', rime 'oʊ'

gram/ɡræm/

Closed syllable, onset 'ɡ', rime 'ræm'

se/sɛ/

Open syllable, onset 's', rime 'ɛ'

cond/kənd/

Closed syllable, onset 'k', rime 'ənd

Morphemic Breakdown

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

kilo-(prefix)
+
meter, gram, second(root)
+
(suffix)

Prefix: kilo-

Greek origin, meaning 'thousand', attached to 'gram'.

Root: meter, gram, second

Greek/Latin origins, denoting units of measurement.

Suffix:

None

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The base units of length, mass, and time in the International System of Units (SI).

Translation: N/A

Examples:

"The experiment was conducted using the meter-kilogram-second system."

Synonyms: MKS system
Antonyms: N/A
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

centimetercen-ti-me-ter

Similar structure: prefix + root + suffix. Syllable division follows the same vowel-centric rules.

kilogramki-lo-gram

Shares the 'kilo-' prefix and '-gram' root. Syllable division is identical to the corresponding part of 'meter-kilogram-second'.

second-handsec-ond-hand

Shares the 'second' root. Syllable division is consistent with the root's individual pronunciation.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Centric Syllabification

Each vowel sound generally initiates a new syllable.

Onset-Rime Structure

Syllables are structured around an onset (initial consonant(s)) and a rime (vowel and any following consonants).

Avoid Consonant Cluster Splitting

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a single syllable unless breaking them is necessary to create a pronounceable syllable structure.

Special Considerations

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

The compound nature of the word requires applying syllabification rules to each component individually.

Liaison ('r' sounds) in GB English pronunciation does not affect the orthographic syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'meter-kilogram-second' is syllabified based on vowel sounds and onset-rime structure, resulting in seven syllables. Each component (meter, kilogram, second) retains its individual pronunciation and stress pattern. The word functions as a compound noun and its syllabification is consistent with similar words in English.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "meter-kilogram-second" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "meter-kilogram-second" is a compound noun consisting of three distinct units of measurement. Pronunciation in GB English generally follows standard Received Pronunciation (RP) or General British. Each component retains its individual pronunciation, linked by liaison (linking 'r' sounds) where appropriate.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid splitting consonant clusters where possible, the division is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • meter:
    • Origin: Greek metron (measure)
    • Function: Root, denoting a unit of measurement.
  • kilo-:
    • Origin: Greek khilioi (thousand)
    • Function: Prefix, meaning "thousand".
  • gram:
    • Origin: Greek gramma (weight)
    • Function: Root, denoting a unit of weight.
  • second:
    • Origin: Latin secundus (following)
    • Function: Root, denoting a unit of time.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable of each component: me-ter, ki-lo-gram, sec-ond. This is typical for compound nouns in English.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈmiːtər ˈkɪləʊɡræm ˈsɛkənd/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Syllable IPA Transcription Rule Explanation Potential Exceptions
me- /miː/ Onset-Rime: 'm' is the onset, 'ee' is the rime. Vowel sound initiates a new syllable. None
ter /tər/ Onset-Rime: 't' is the onset, 'er' is the rime. None
ki- /kɪ/ Onset-Rime: 'k' is the onset, 'i' is the rime. Vowel sound initiates a new syllable. None
lo- /ləʊ/ Onset-Rime: 'l' is the onset, 'oʊ' is the rime. Vowel sound initiates a new syllable. None
gram /ɡræm/ Onset-Rime: 'ɡ' is the onset, 'ræm' is the rime. None
se- /sɛ/ Onset-Rime: 's' is the onset, 'ɛ' is the rime. Vowel sound initiates a new syllable. None
cond /kənd/ Onset-Rime: 'k' is the onset, 'ənd' is the rime. None

7. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word is the primary edge case. Syllabification rules are applied to each component individually, then linked. The linking 'r' sound in "meter-kilogram" is a common feature of GB English pronunciation and doesn't affect the syllable division based on orthography.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress if it were to take on another grammatical role, as it is not inflected.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: meter-kilogram-second
  • Part of Speech: Noun
  • Definitions:
    • Definition: The base units of length, mass, and time in the International System of Units (SI).
    • Translation: N/A (English)
    • Synonyms: MKS system
    • Antonyms: N/A
    • Examples: "The experiment was conducted using the meter-kilogram-second system."
  • Grammatical Category: Compound Noun

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might slightly alter vowel qualities (e.g., a broader 'a' in "gram" in some dialects), but these do not fundamentally change the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

Word Syllables Reason
centimeter cen-ti-me-ter Similar structure: prefix + root + suffix. Syllable division follows the same vowel-centric rules.
kilogram ki-lo-gram Shares the "kilo-" prefix and "-gram" root. Syllable division is identical to the corresponding part of "meter-kilogram-second".
second-hand sec-ond-hand Shares the "second" root. Syllable division is consistent with the root's individual pronunciation.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/5/2025

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Hyphenation is the process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.