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Hyphenation ofsuperintelligences

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

su-per-in-tel-li-gen-ces

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

/ˌsuːpəˌɪntelɪˈdʒɛnsɪz/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0010010

Primary stress falls on the sixth syllable ('gen'). The first and third syllables have secondary stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

su/suː/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

per/pə/

Open syllable, unstressed.

in/ɪn/

Closed syllable.

tel/tel/

Closed syllable.

li/lɪ/

Closed syllable.

gen/dʒɛn/

Closed syllable, stressed.

ces/sɪz/

Closed syllable, plural marker.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

super-(prefix)
+
intel-(root)
+
-ligence/-es(suffix)

Prefix: super-

Latin origin, intensifier.

Root: intel-

Latin origin, relating to intellect.

Suffix: -ligence/-es

French/Latin origin, forming a plural noun.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Extremely high levels of intelligence; intellects surpassing the ordinary.

Examples:

"The novel explored the potential dangers of creating superintelligences."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Intelligencein-tel-li-gence

Shares the root 'intel' and suffix '-gence'.

Supermarketsu-per-mar-ket

Shares the prefix 'super-'.

Magnificencemag-ni-fi-cence

Shares the suffix '-cence'.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime Principle

Syllables are formed around a vowel nucleus, with preceding consonants forming the onset and following consonants forming the rime.

Sonority Sequencing Principle

Syllables tend to have a sonority peak (the vowel), with sonority decreasing away from the peak.

Maximizing Onsets Principle

Consonants are assigned to onsets whenever possible.

Special Considerations

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

The word's length and complex morphology can lead to mis-syllabification.

Schwa sounds in unstressed syllables can cause pronunciation variations.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'superintelligences' is a seven-syllable noun with primary stress on the sixth syllable. It's formed from the prefix 'super-', the root 'intel-', and the suffixes '-ligence' and '-es'. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel nuclei and sonority.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "superintelligences" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "superintelligences" presents challenges due to its length and complex morphology. Pronunciation in GB English will generally follow standard Received Pronunciation (RP) or a similar accent, with potential regional variations.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: super- (Latin, meaning "above," "over," or "beyond"). Morphological function: intensifier.
  • Root: intel- (Latin intellegere, meaning "to understand"). Morphological function: core meaning relating to intellect.
  • Suffix: -ligence (French/Latin, from legere meaning "to read", evolving to denote the capacity to acquire knowledge). Morphological function: forms a noun denoting a quality or state.
  • Suffix: -es (English, plural marker). Morphological function: indicates plurality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: in-tel-li-gen-ces.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌsuːpəˌɪntelɪˈdʒɛnsɪz/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

  • su-: /suː/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: Initial syllable often receives some stress even if not primary.
  • per-: /pə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: Schwa sound is common in unstressed syllables.
  • in-: /ɪn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure.
  • tel-: /tel/ - Closed syllable. Rule: CVC structure.
  • li-: /lɪ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: CVC structure.
  • gen-: /dʒɛn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: CVC structure.
  • ces: /sɪz/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure.

7. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-ligence" can sometimes be pronounced with a reduced vowel in the second syllable, but the full vowel pronunciation is standard in RP. The final "-es" is a straightforward plural marker.

8. Grammatical Role:

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

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Extremely high levels of intelligence; intellects surpassing the ordinary.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (plural)
  • Synonyms: genius-level intellects, hyper-intelligence, exceptional minds.
  • Antonyms: limited intellect, low intelligence, stupidity.
  • Examples: "The novel explored the potential dangers of creating superintelligences."

10. Phonological Comparison:

  • Intelligence: /ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/ - Syllable division: in-tel-li-gence. Similar structure, but lacks the prefix.
  • Supermarket: /ˈsuːpəˌmɑːkɪt/ - Syllable division: su-per-mar-ket. Shares the "super-" prefix, but different root and suffix.
  • Magnificence: /ˌmæɡnɪˈfɪsəns/ - Syllable division: mag-ni-fi-cence. Similar suffix structure (-ence), but different prefix and root.

The differences in syllable division arise from the varying lengths and complexities of the root and suffix components. "Superintelligences" has a longer root ("intel") and a more complex suffix ("ligence"), leading to more syllables.

11. Division Rules:

  • Onset-Rime Principle: Syllables are formed around a vowel nucleus, with preceding consonants forming the onset and following consonants forming the rime.
  • Sonority Sequencing Principle: Syllables tend to have a sonority peak (the vowel), with sonority decreasing away from the peak.
  • Maximizing Onsets Principle: Consonants are assigned to onsets whenever possible.

12. Special Considerations:

The word's length and the presence of multiple morphemes make it prone to mis-syllabification. The schwa sound in unstressed syllables can also lead to variations in pronunciation.

13. Short Analysis:

"Superintelligences" is a noun meaning exceptionally high intelligence. It's divided into seven syllables: su-per-in-tel-li-gen-ces, with primary stress on the sixth syllable. It's formed from the prefix "super-", the root "intel-", and the suffixes "-ligence" and "-es". Its syllable structure follows standard English rules of onset-rime and sonority sequencing.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

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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.