Hyphenation ofnoncombustibility

Linguistic Analysis of "noncombustibility" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation & Initial Examination:

The word "noncombustibility" is a complex noun denoting the quality of not being capable of burning. Its pronunciation in GB English is relatively consistent, though variations in vowel quality can occur. The word presents challenges due to its length, multiple morphemes, and potential for vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.

2. Syllable Division:

Following GB English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows (using only original letters): non-com-bus-ti-bil-i-ty

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin, meaning "not") - Negation.
• Root: combust- (Latin combustus, past participle of combure "to burn") - The core meaning relating to burning.
• Suffix: -ibility (Latin -ibilitas, from ibilis "able") - Forms a noun denoting the quality of being able to be done.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: non-com-bus-ti-bil-i-ty. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ity, -tion, -sion, etc., unless overridden by other factors.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɒn.kəm.bʌs.tɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• non-: /nɒn/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end with a vowel sound. No consonant clusters impede syllable division.
• com-: /kəm/ - Open syllable. Rule: Similar to 'non-', vowel sound terminates the syllable.
• bus-: /bʌs/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound terminates the syllable.
• ti-: /ˈtɪ/ - Open syllable, stressed. Rule: Stress influences syllable prominence. The vowel is followed by a consonant.
• bil-: /bɪl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound terminates the syllable.
• i-: /ˈɪ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound terminates the syllable.
• ty-: /ti/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound terminates the syllable.

7. Edge Case Review & Exceptions:

The word is relatively straightforward in its syllabification. The main consideration is the potential for vowel reduction in unstressed syllables (e.g., the 'o' in 'non' might be reduced to /ə/ in rapid speech). However, this doesn't affect the syllable division itself.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Noncombustibility" primarily functions as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of not being able to be burned.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: incombustibility, flame resistance, fireproofness
• Antonyms: combustibility, flammability
• Examples: "The building materials were chosen for their noncombustibility." "The noncombustibility of the asbestos made it ideal for fireproofing."

10. Alternative Pronunciations & Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents a standard GB English pronunciation, slight variations in vowel quality (e.g., the /ɒ/ in 'non' being closer to /ɔ/) are possible depending on regional accent. These variations would not alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• possibility: pos-si-bil-i-ty - Similar structure with the '-ibility' suffix. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• combustion: com-bus-tion - Shares the 'combust-' root. Stress falls on the second syllable.
• responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty - Similar structure with the '-ibility' suffix. Stress falls on the third syllable.

The consistent presence of the '-ibility' suffix and the tendency for stress to fall on the penultimate syllable (or earlier, influenced by the root) demonstrate a pattern in these words. The difference in stress placement in "noncombustibility" is due to the added prefix "non-", which shifts the stress pattern.