Hyphenation ofstick-at-nothing

Linguistic Analysis of "stick-at-nothing" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation:

The word "stick-at-nothing" is pronounced as /stɪk æt ˈnʌθɪŋ/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only the original letters, is: stick-at-no-thing

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• stick: Root. Old English sticca meaning "stick, branch". Morphological function: Verb (in this context, part of the idiom).
• at: Preposition. Old English æt. Morphological function: Indicates direction or position.
• nothing: Compound word. no + thing.
  • no: Prefix. Old English nā. Morphological function: Negative prefix.
  • thing: Root. Old English þing. Morphological function: Noun, referring to an object or matter.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: no. /stɪk æt ˈnʌθɪŋ/

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/stɪk æt ˈnʌθɪŋ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The phrase "stick-at-nothing" is an idiom. Idioms often have fixed stress patterns and can sometimes resist standard syllabification rules due to their established usage. The hyphenated structure further complicates matters, as it's a phrasal verb acting as a single unit.

7. Grammatical Role:

The phrase functions as a verb phrase, expressing a willingness to do anything, regardless of the consequences. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To stop at nothing; to be completely ruthless or determined to achieve a goal, regardless of moral considerations.
• Grammatical Category: Verb phrase (idiomatic).
• Synonyms: be unscrupulous, be ruthless, be relentless, leave no stone unturned.
• Antonyms: be scrupulous, be ethical, be considerate.
• Examples:
  • "He would stick at nothing to get what he wanted."
  • "The company stuck at nothing to increase its profits."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• something: som-e-thing. Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.
• everything: ev-er-y-thing. Similar structure, stress on the third syllable.
• anything: an-y-thing. Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.

The difference in stress placement in "stick-at-nothing" (third syllable) compared to "something", "everything", and "anything" (second or third syllable) is due to the initial "stick" and "at" functioning as a unit before the stressed "no". The initial elements create a different rhythmic pattern.

10. Division Rules:

• Vowel Rule: Syllables are often built around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound in "stick-at-nothing" forms the nucleus of a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally split according to sonority (ease of articulation).
• Phrasal Verb Rule: In phrasal verbs, the preposition often forms a separate syllable, even if it's closely linked to the verb.

11. Special Considerations:

The hyphenated structure is a key consideration. It suggests a closer relationship between "stick" and "at" than would normally be expected, influencing the syllabification. The idiomatic nature of the phrase also means that its pronunciation and syllabification are somewhat fixed by convention.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the given pronunciation is standard for GB English, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "nothing" to a schwa /nʌθɪŋ/. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.