HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofself-competition

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-com-pe-ti-tion

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

/self-kɒm.pɪˈtɪʃ.ən/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('pe'), indicated by '1'. The other syllables are unstressed ('0').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/self/

Open syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonants.

com/kɒm/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonants.

pe/pɪ/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonants.

ti/tɪ/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonants.

tion/ʃən/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonants.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

self(prefix)
+
compete(root)
+
tion(suffix)

Prefix: self

Old English origin, reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix.

Root: compete

Latin origin (*competere*), meaning to strive together.

Suffix: tion

Latin origin, nominalizing suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The act of competing against oneself, often in terms of personal goals or achievements.

Examples:

"His constant self-competition drove him to excel."

"The athlete engaged in a form of self-competition to push his limits."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

competitioncom-pe-ti-tion

Shares the root 'compete' and the suffix '-tion', exhibiting similar syllable structure.

communicationcom-mu-ni-ca-tion

Shares the 'com-' prefix and '-tion' suffix, demonstrating a similar morphological structure.

preparationpre-pa-ra-tion

Shares the '-tion' suffix, illustrating a common pattern in English noun formation.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant (VC) Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by one or more consonants (e.g., 'com', 'pe', 'ti').

Open Syllable

Syllables ending in a vowel sound are considered open syllables (e.g., 'self').

Special Considerations

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

The hyphen in 'self-competition' is orthographic and doesn't affect syllabification.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may exist but do not alter the syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-competition' is divided into five syllables: self-com-pe-ti-tion. It consists of the prefix 'self-', the root 'compete', and the suffix '-tion'. The primary stress falls on the third syllable ('pe'). Syllable division follows standard English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "self-competition" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "self-competition" is pronounced with relatively consistent vowel qualities in Received Pronunciation (RP) British English. The 'self-' portion is a relatively weak syllable, while 'com-pe-ti-tion' carries more weight.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

self-com-pe-ti-tion

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the action is performed by the subject upon itself.
  • Root: compete (Latin competere - to strive together) - the core meaning of vying for something.
  • Suffix: -tion (Latin) - nominalizing suffix, turning the verb 'compete' into a noun.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: com-pe-ti-tion.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/self-kɒm.pɪˈtɪʃ.ən/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • self: /self/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). No special cases.
  • com: /kɒm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) and ending in a consonant. No special cases.
  • pe: /pɪ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) and ending in a consonant. No special cases.
  • ti: /tɪ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) and ending in a consonant. No special cases.
  • tion: /ʃən/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) and ending in a consonant. No special cases.

7. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word doesn't present significant edge cases. The hyphen in "self-competition" is a standard orthographic convention for clarity and doesn't affect syllabification.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Self-competition" primarily functions as a noun. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The act of competing against oneself, often in terms of personal goals or achievements.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: self-rivalry, internal competition
  • Antonyms: cooperation, collaboration
  • Examples:
    • "His constant self-competition drove him to excel."
    • "The athlete engaged in a form of self-competition to push his limits."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While RP is the standard, some regional variations might exhibit slight vowel differences (e.g., /ɑː/ instead of /ɒ/ in 'com'). However, these variations don't fundamentally alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • competition: com-pe-ti-tion - Similar syllable structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • communication: com-mu-ni-ca-tion - More syllables, but shares the 'com-' prefix and '-tion' suffix.
  • preparation: pre-pa-ra-tion - Similar suffix '-tion', different prefix, stress on the second syllable.

The consistency in the suffix '-tion' and the general pattern of consonant-vowel alternation demonstrate the regularities of English syllable structure. The differences in stress placement are due to the varying number of syllables and the inherent stress patterns of the prefixes.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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 splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.