Hyphenation ofnon-co-operative

Linguistic Analysis of "non-co-operative" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "non-co-operative" presents challenges due to its compound structure and the presence of multiple vowels and consonants. British English pronunciation generally exhibits a non-rhotic accent, meaning 'r' is not pronounced after vowels unless followed by another vowel. Stress patterns are crucial for accurate syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds, the word is divided as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin, meaning 'not') - Negation.
• Root: co- (Latin, meaning 'with') - Indicates joint action or participation.
• Root: oper- (Latin opus meaning 'work') - The base denoting action or function.
• Suffix: -ative (Latin, forming adjectives) - Indicates a quality or tendency.
• Suffix: -e (English, often silent, but affects vowel quality) - Grammatical marker.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: op.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɒn.koʊˈɒp.ər.ə.tɪv/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, including IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

• non: /nɒn/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable. No exceptions.
• co: /koʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable. No exceptions.
• op: /ˈɒp/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters following a vowel belong to the same syllable. Stress is placed here.
• er: /ˈər/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable. 'er' is a schwa + r sound.
• a: /ə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable. Schwa sound.
• tive: /tɪv/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters following a vowel belong to the same syllable.

7. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word and the presence of multiple morphemes could lead to alternative syllabifications, but the above breakdown aligns with standard English phonological rules. The 'er' syllable is a common source of variation, but the schwa sound is typical in unstressed syllables.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Non-co-operative" primarily functions as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Not willing to work or cooperate with others.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: uncooperative, unwilling, obstructive, defiant
• Antonyms: cooperative, helpful, amenable, compliant
• Examples: "The witness was being deliberately non-co-operative." "He adopted a non-co-operative attitude towards the investigation."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might slightly alter vowel qualities (e.g., a more open 'o' in 'co'), but the core syllabification remains consistent.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• Comparative Word 1: "improbable" - im-prob-a-ble. Similar syllable structure with prefixes and suffixes. Stress on the second syllable.
• Comparative Word 2: "unacceptable" - un-ac-cept-a-ble. Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress on the third syllable.
• Comparative Word 3: "collaborative" - col-lab-o-ra-tive. Similar suffix structure and vowel-consonant patterns. Stress on the second syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the varying weight and prominence of the root morphemes. "Non-co-operative" places emphasis on the core action ("operate"), while the others emphasize different aspects.