Hyphenation ofquasi-responsible

Linguistic Analysis of "quasi-responsible" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "quasi-responsible" presents challenges due to the prefix "quasi-" and the compound nature of the word. British English pronunciation generally exhibits non-rhoticity, meaning the 'r' sound is not pronounced after a vowel unless followed by another vowel. Stress placement is crucial for accurate syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and consonant clusters, the word divides as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: quasi- (Latin, meaning "as if," "seemingly," or "almost"). Morphological function: degree modifier.
• Root: responsible (Latin respondere "to answer," + -bilis "able"). Morphological function: adjective, denoting accountability.
• Suffix: None. "Responsible" functions as a single morpheme within this compound.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: re-spon-si-ble. This is typical for words ending in "-able" or "-ible". The prefix "quasi-" is unstressed.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈkweɪzi rɪˌspɒnsɪbl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of "quasi-" and "responsible" is relatively uncommon, but follows standard compounding rules. The 'r' in 'responsible' is pronounced due to the following vowel.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Quasi-responsible" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Appearing or seeming to be responsible, but not actually being so; superficially accountable.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: nominally responsible, seemingly responsible, superficially accountable
• Antonyms: fully responsible, accountable, liable
• Examples: "He offered a quasi-responsible explanation, but it lacked substance." "The committee issued a quasi-responsible statement, avoiding any real commitment."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Impossible: im-pos-si-ble (4 syllables, stress on -si-, similar vowel structure in syllables)
• Incredible: in-cred-i-ble (4 syllables, stress on -cred-, similar consonant clusters)
• Unbelievable: un-be-liev-a-ble (4 syllables, stress on -liev-, similar suffix structure)

The syllable structure of "quasi-responsible" is more complex due to the prefix and the initial vowel cluster in "quasi-". However, the stress pattern and vowel-consonant alternation within the root word ("responsible") are consistent with these other examples.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-C Rule: A vowel followed by a consonant typically forms a syllable.
2. Vowel-C-C Rule: A vowel followed by a consonant cluster forms a syllable.
3. C-C-V Rule: A consonant cluster followed by a vowel forms a syllable.

Special Considerations:

The prefix "quasi-" is often treated as a single syllable despite containing a vowel, due to its function as a bound morpheme. The 'r' in 'responsible' is pronounced because it is followed by a vowel.

Short Analysis:

"Quasi-responsible" is a four-syllable adjective with primary stress on the third syllable (/ˈkweɪzi rɪˌspɒnsɪbl/). It's formed by combining the prefix "quasi-" (Latin, "as if") with the root "responsible" (Latin, "to answer"). Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel sounds and consonant clusters.