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Hyphenation ofself-distrustful

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-dis-trust-ful

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

/self dɪsˈtrʌstfʊl/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('trust'). This is typical for words ending in '-ful'.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/self/

Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.

dis/dɪs/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster followed by vowel.

trust/trʌst/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster followed by vowel, ending in a consonant.

ful/fʊl/

Closed syllable, consonant followed by vowel, ending in a consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

self(prefix)
+
trust(root)
+
dis-ful(suffix)

Prefix: self

Old English, reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix.

Root: trust

Old Norse *traust*, denoting reliance or confidence.

Suffix: dis-ful

dis- (Old English, 'not' or 'opposite of'); -ful (Old English *full*, adjectival suffix meaning 'characterized by').

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Lacking confidence in oneself; having a distrust of one's own abilities or worth.

Examples:

"He was a deeply self-distrustful person, always questioning his decisions."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Wonderfulwon-der-ful

Shares the '-ful' suffix and a similar stress pattern.

Beautifulbeau-ti-ful

Shares the '-ful' suffix and a similar stress pattern.

Hopefulhope-ful

Shares the '-ful' suffix and a similar stress pattern, though shorter.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Onsets

Prioritizing consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables.

Avoid Stranded Consonants

Ensuring consonants are not left isolated at the end of a syllable unless necessary.

Special Considerations

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

The compound structure of the word does not introduce significant exceptions to standard syllable division rules.

Regional variations in vowel quality may occur, but do not affect syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-distrustful' is divided into four syllables: self-dis-trust-ful. The primary stress falls on 'trust'. It's morphologically complex, comprising the prefix 'self-', root 'trust', and suffixes 'dis-' and '-ful'. Syllable division follows standard English rules prioritizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "self-distrustful" presents challenges due to its compound structure and multiple morphemes. British English pronunciation generally exhibits non-rhoticity (absence of /r/ after vowels), which influences syllable boundaries.

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 is as follows (using only original letters):

self-dis-trust-ful

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the action is performed by the subject.
  • Root: trust (Old Norse traust) - denoting reliance or confidence.
  • Suffix: -dis- (Old English) - a prefix meaning "not" or "opposite of".
  • Suffix: -ful (Old English full) - adjectival suffix meaning "characterized by".

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: dis-TRUST-ful. This is typical for words with the '-ful' suffix, where the stress usually falls on the preceding syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/self dɪsˈtrʌstfʊl/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • self: /self/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). No special cases.
  • dis: /dɪs/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel. No special cases.
  • trust: /trʌst/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel, ending in a consonant. No special cases.
  • ful: /fʊl/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant followed by vowel, ending in a consonant. No special cases.

7. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word doesn't introduce significant exceptions. The 'l' in 'ful' is a common syllable-final consonant.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Self-distrustful" primarily functions as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Lacking confidence in oneself; having a distrust of one's own abilities or worth.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: insecure, diffident, self-doubting, apprehensive
  • Antonyms: confident, self-assured, secure
  • Examples: "He was a deeply self-distrustful person, always questioning his decisions."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the above transcription represents standard GB English, slight variations in vowel quality (e.g., /ʌ/ vs. /ə/ in 'trust') may occur depending on regional accent. These variations do not significantly alter syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • Wonderful: won-der-ful - Similar structure with a suffix '-ful'. Stress pattern is comparable.
  • Beautiful: beau-ti-ful - Similar structure with a suffix '-ful'. Stress pattern is comparable.
  • Hopeful: hope-ful - Shorter, but shares the '-ful' suffix and similar stress pattern.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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