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Hyphenation ofself-concernment

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-con-cern-ment

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

/ˌself kənˈsɜːn mənt/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0 1 0 0

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('cern'), typical for words ending in '-ment'.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/self/

Open syllable, vowel followed by consonants.

con/kən/

Closed syllable, vowel surrounded by consonants.

cern/sɜːn/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonants.

ment/mənt/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonants.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

self(prefix)
+
concern(root)
+
ment(suffix)

Prefix: self

Old English, reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix.

Root: concern

Old French *concerner*, meaning to affect or relate to.

Suffix: ment

Old French *-ment*, forming nouns from verbs.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Excessive preoccupation with one's own affairs or well-being.

Examples:

"His self-concernment was evident in his refusal to help others."

"The therapist addressed her issues of self-concernment."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

governmentgov-ern-ment

Similar structure with a vowel-consonant-vowel pattern followed by a suffix.

agreementa-gree-ment

Similar suffixation and stress pattern.

employmentem-ploy-ment

Similar suffixation and stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel followed by consonant(s)

Syllables are divided after a vowel when followed by one or more consonants.

Vowel surrounded by consonants

Syllables are divided around a vowel when it is surrounded by consonants.

Special Considerations

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

The compound nature of the word and the prefix 'self-' could lead to alternative analyses, but the presented division is most common.

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in 'concern' to a schwa, but this doesn't alter syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-concernment' is divided into four syllables: self-con-cern-ment. It consists of the prefix 'self-', the root 'concern', and the suffix '-ment'. Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('cern'). Syllabification follows standard GB English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation & Initial Examination:

The word "self-concernment" is a complex noun formed through compounding and suffixation. Its pronunciation in GB English is approximately /ˌself kənˈsɜːn mənt/. The word exhibits multiple morphemes and presents challenges in syllabification due to the presence of consonant clusters and vowel sequences.

2. Syllable Division:

Following GB English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows (using only original letters): self-con-cern-ment

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the subject is also the object of the action.
  • Root: concern (Old French concerner - to affect, to relate to) - denoting care, interest, or relevance.
  • Suffix: -ment (Old French –ment) - a suffix forming nouns from verbs, indicating action, state, or result.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: con-cern-ment. This is typical for words ending in -ment where the stress falls on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself kənˈsɜːn mənt/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • self: /self/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). No special cases.
  • con: /kən/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants. Potential exception: The 'con' could be considered part of the root 'concern' but is separated here for clarity of syllabification.
  • cern: /sɜːn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). No special cases.
  • ment: /mənt/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). No special cases.

7. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word and the presence of the prefix 'self-' could lead to alternative analyses, but the division presented here is the most common and phonologically justifiable in GB English.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Self-concernment" primarily functions as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Excessive preoccupation with one's own affairs or well-being.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: selfishness, egotism, self-absorption, self-regard
  • Antonyms: altruism, selflessness, consideration, empathy
  • Examples: "His self-concernment was evident in his refusal to help others." "The therapist addressed her issues of self-concernment."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided transcription is standard for GB English, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in 'concern' to a schwa /kənˈsɜːn/. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • government: gov-ern-ment - Similar structure with a vowel-consonant-vowel pattern followed by a suffix. Stress falls on the second syllable.
  • agreement: a-gree-ment - Similar suffixation and stress pattern.
  • employment: em-ploy-ment - Similar suffixation and stress pattern.

The consistency in stress placement before the -ment suffix demonstrates a regular phonological pattern in English. The differences in initial syllable structure reflect the different consonant and vowel combinations in the root words.

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

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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.