HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofstrait-lacedness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

strait-laced-ness

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

/streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

012

Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('laced'), and secondary stress on the third syllable ('ness'). The first syllable ('strait') is unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

strait/streɪt/

Open syllable, diphthong.

laced/leɪst/

Closed syllable, diphthong, primary stress.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, schwa, secondary stress.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

strait-(prefix)
+
lace(root)
+
-ed(suffix)

Prefix: strait-

Old French *estreit* meaning 'narrow, tight', adjectival modifier.

Root: lace

Old French *lacier* meaning 'to lace', verb forming part of the compound adjective.

Suffix: -ed

English, past participle forming part of the compound adjective.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The quality of being rigidly conventional and severely moral.

Examples:

"Her strait-laced upbringing made it difficult for her to accept modern art."

"The community was known for its strait-laced values."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

tightnesstight-ness

Similar structure with a monosyllabic root and the '-ness' suffix.

fairnessfair-ness

Similar structure, again with stress on the root syllable.

weaknessweak-ness

Similar structure, stress on the root syllable.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant Rule

Syllables are often divided after a vowel sound, especially when followed by a consonant.

Compound Word Rule

Compound words are divided between the constituent parts.

Suffix Rule

Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The compound adjective 'strait-laced' is a relatively fixed unit, and its pronunciation is well-established.

The syllabification reflects the established pronunciation of the compound adjective.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'strait-lacedness' is divided into three syllables: strait-laced-ness. It's a noun formed from the compound adjective 'strait-laced' and the suffix '-ness'. Primary stress falls on 'laced', and the phonetic transcription is /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/. The syllabification follows standard English rules for vowel-consonant separation and suffix division.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "strait-lacedness" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation:

The word "strait-lacedness" is pronounced /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: strait-laced-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: strait- (Old French estreit meaning 'narrow, tight'). Function: Adjectival modifier.
  • Root: lace (Old French lacier meaning 'to lace'). Function: Verb, forming part of the compound adjective.
  • Suffix: -ed (English). Function: Past participle, forming part of the compound adjective.
  • Suffix: -ness (English). Function: Noun-forming suffix, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/. Secondary stress is present on the third syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The compound adjective "strait-laced" presents a slight edge case. While compounds often have stress on the first element, the established pronunciation places stress on "laced". The "-ness" suffix consistently receives secondary stress in words of this length.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Strait-lacedness" functions solely as a noun. There are no syllable division or stress shifts for other parts of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The quality of being rigidly conventional and severely moral.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: Conventionality, prudishness, rigidity, conservatism.
  • Antonyms: Liberality, open-mindedness, tolerance.
  • Examples: "Her strait-laced upbringing made it difficult for her to accept modern art." "The community was known for its strait-laced values."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • tightness: tight-ness /taɪt nəs/ - Similar structure with a monosyllabic root and the "-ness" suffix. Stress falls on the root syllable.
  • fairness: fair-ness /fɛːrnəs/ - Similar structure, again with stress on the root syllable.
  • weakness: weak-ness /wiːknəs/ - Similar structure, stress on the root syllable.

The difference in "strait-lacedness" is the compound adjective "strait-laced" preceding the "-ness" suffix, resulting in a longer word and a shift in primary stress to the second element of the compound.

10. Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
strait /streɪt/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel followed by consonant cluster None
laced /leɪst/ Closed syllable, diphthong Consonant cluster followed by vowel None
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable, schwa Consonant followed by vowel None

11. Division Rules:

  • Vowel-Consonant Rule: Syllables are often divided after a vowel sound, especially when followed by a consonant.
  • Compound Word Rule: Compound words are divided between the constituent parts.
  • Suffix Rule: Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

12. Special Considerations:

The compound adjective "strait-laced" is a relatively fixed unit, and its pronunciation is well-established. The syllabification reflects this established pronunciation.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents General British English, some regional variations might exist in vowel quality or stress placement, but these would not fundamentally alter the syllable division.

14. Short Analysis:

"Strait-lacedness" is divided into three syllables: strait-laced-ness. It's a noun formed from the compound adjective "strait-laced" and the suffix "-ness". Primary stress falls on "laced", and the phonetic transcription is /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/. The syllabification follows standard English rules for vowel-consonant separation and suffix division.

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 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.