HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofself-containment

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-con-tain-ment

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

/ˌself kənˈteɪnmənt/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0010

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('tain'). The first syllable ('self') is unstressed, the second ('con') is unstressed, and the fourth ('ment') is unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/self/

Open syllable, onset 's', rime 'elf'

con/kɒn/

Closed syllable, onset 'k', rime 'on'

tain/teɪn/

Closed syllable, stressed, onset 't', rime 'ain'

ment/mənt/

Closed syllable, onset 'm', rime 'ent'

Morphemic Breakdown

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

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

Prefix: self

Old English, reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix

Root: contain

Latin *continere* - to hold together, verb

Suffix: ment

French, nominalizing suffix

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of being independent and not relying on external factors for completeness or satisfaction.

Examples:

"Her self-containment was a source of strength."

"The artist's work reflected a sense of self-containment."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

developmentde-vel-op-ment

Shares the '-ment' suffix and similar CVC structure in the final syllable.

governmentgov-ern-ment

Shares the '-ment' suffix and similar syllable structure.

entertainmenten-ter-tain-ment

Similar stress pattern and the '-ment' suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime

Dividing syllables based on the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).

Vowel Sound Principle

Each syllable generally contains one vowel sound.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are easily separable by a vowel sound.

Special Considerations

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

The compound nature of the word (prefix + root + suffix) doesn't present significant exceptions to standard syllabification rules.

The stress pattern is typical for words with this morphological structure.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-containment' is divided into four syllables: self-con-tain-ment. The primary stress falls on 'tain'. It's morphologically composed of the prefix 'self-', the root 'contain', and the suffix '-ment'. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on onset-rime structure and vowel sounds.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "self-containment" is pronounced with relatively consistent vowel qualities in Received Pronunciation (RP) British English. The 'a' in 'contain' is typically a broad /eɪ/ sound. The 'ment' ending is a common suffix and is generally pronounced as /mənt/.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix, indicating the action is performed by the subject upon itself.
  • Root: contain (Latin continere - to hold together) - verb meaning to hold or include.
  • Suffix: -ment (French) - nominalizing suffix, turning a verb into a noun, indicating a state, result, or action.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: con-tain-ment.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself kənˈteɪnmənt/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

  • self: /self/ - Open syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime structure. 's' is the onset, 'elf' is the rime. No exceptions.
  • con: /kɒn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure. 'c' is the onset, 'on' is the rime. Potential exception: The 'con' syllable could be considered part of a larger stressed syllable depending on speech rate.
  • tain: /teɪn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure. 't' is the onset, 'ain' is the rime. This syllable receives primary stress.
  • ment: /mənt/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure. 'm' is the onset, 'ent' is the rime. No exceptions.

7. Syllable Division Rules Applied:

  • Onset-Rime: The basic principle of dividing syllables based on the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
  • Vowel Sound Principle: Each syllable generally contains one vowel sound.
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are easily separable by a vowel sound.

8. Edge Case Review & Exceptions:

The compound nature of the word (prefix + root + suffix) doesn't present significant exceptions to standard syllabification rules. The stress pattern is typical for words with this morphological structure.

9. Grammatical Role:

"Self-containment" primarily functions as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function, as it is not inflected.

10. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of being independent and not relying on external factors for completeness or satisfaction.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: independence, self-sufficiency, autonomy, completeness
  • Antonyms: dependence, reliance, incompleteness
  • Examples:
    • "Her self-containment was a source of strength."
    • "The artist's work reflected a sense of self-containment."

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • Development: de-vel-op-ment (4 syllables, stress on 'lop'). Similar CVC structure in the final syllable ('ment').
  • Government: gov-ern-ment (3 syllables, stress on 'ern'). Shares the '-ment' suffix and similar syllable structure.
  • Entertainment: en-ter-tain-ment (4 syllables, stress on 'tain'). Similar stress pattern and the '-ment' suffix.

The differences in syllable count are due to the varying lengths of the root words. The consistent presence of the '-ment' suffix results in a predictable syllabic structure for the final syllable in all these words.

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.