HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofpostadolescences

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

post-a-do-les-cens-es

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

/ˌpɒstædəˈlesənsɪz/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('les'). The stress pattern follows typical English patterns for words of this length and morphological structure. The prefix and suffixes are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

post/pɒst/

Open syllable, initial stress potential, onset consonant cluster /p/ and /s/.

a/ə/

Unstressed, open syllable, schwa vowel.

do/də/

Unstressed, open syllable, schwa vowel.

les/ˈles/

Primary stressed, closed syllable, vowel /e/.

cens/sens/

Unstressed, closed syllable, nasal consonant /n/.

es/ɪz/

Unstressed, closed syllable, plural marker /s/.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

post-(prefix)
+
adolesc-(root)
+
-s(suffix)

Prefix: post-

Latin origin, meaning 'after'. Prefixes typically do not carry primary stress.

Root: adolesc-

Latin origin, meaning 'youth'. Forms the core meaning of the word.

Suffix: -s

English origin, plural marker. Typically unstressed.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The states of being beyond adolescence; the periods following the teenage years.

Examples:

"The challenges faced by postadolescences are often overlooked."

"She studied the psychological development of postadolescences."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

adolescencea-do-les-cence

Shares the root 'adolesc-' and the suffix '-ence', demonstrating similar morphological structure.

consequencescon-se-quences

Shares the suffix '-ences', illustrating a common suffix structure in English nouns.

precedencepre-ce-dence

Similar suffix structure ('-ence'), demonstrating consistent syllabification patterns with this suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables are maintained (e.g., 'post').

Avoid Stranded Consonants

Consonants are not left alone to form a syllable (e.g., 'les' is a valid syllable).

Vowel-Based Division

Syllables are generally divided around vowel sounds.

Special Considerations

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

The length of the word and its complex morphology require careful consideration of stress placement.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might occur, but do not significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'postadolescences' is divided into six syllables: post-a-do-les-cens-es. Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('les'). The word is morphologically complex, consisting of the prefix 'post-', the root 'adolesc-', and the suffixes '-ence' and '-s'. Syllable division follows standard English rules of onset maximization and vowel-based division.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "postadolescences" presents challenges due to its length and complex morphology. Pronunciation in GB English will generally follow standard Received Pronunciation (RP) or General British tendencies, with potential regional variations. The 's' at the end will be pronounced as /s/.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, which prioritize maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, the division will be as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: post- (Latin, meaning "after") - indicates a time or state following something.
  • Root: adolesc- (Latin, meaning "youth" or "growing up") - the core meaning relating to the stage of adolescence.
  • Suffix: -ence (Latin/French, forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality) - transforms the root into a noun.
  • Suffix: -s (English, plural marker) - indicates more than one instance of the state of postadolescence.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: les. This is determined by the typical stress patterns in English, where stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words of this length and complexity, but is influenced by the morphological structure.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌpɒstædəˈlesənsɪz/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence /sc/ is a common onset in English and doesn't present a significant edge case. The final /s/ is a typical plural marker. The vowel sounds are relatively standard for RP English.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Postadolescences" functions exclusively as a noun, specifically a plural noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The states of being beyond adolescence; the periods following the teenage years.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (plural)
  • Synonyms: post-teenage years, young adulthoods
  • Antonyms: adolescences, childhoods
  • Examples: "The challenges faced by postadolescences are often overlooked." "She studied the psychological development of postadolescences."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • adolescence: a-do-les-cence (4 syllables) - Similar structure, stress on the third syllable.
  • consequences: con-se-quences (3 syllables) - Shares the '-ences' suffix, stress on the second syllable.
  • precedence: pre-ce-dence (3 syllables) - Similar suffix structure, stress on the second syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the addition of the 'post-' prefix in "postadolescences," shifting the stress pattern. The longer word length also influences the stress.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables, but the core syllable division and stress pattern remain consistent. Regional accents might affect vowel quality but not the fundamental syllabification.

11. Division Rules:

  • Onset Maximization: Consonant clusters are kept together at the beginning of syllables (e.g., sc in postadolescences).
  • Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left alone to form a syllable (e.g., les is a valid syllable).
  • Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally divided around vowel sounds.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/11/2025

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 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.