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Hyphenation oftetramethylsilane

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

te-tra-meth-yl-si-lane

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

/ˌtetrəˈmɛθɪlsɪˌleɪn/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

010001

Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('meth'). The first and fifth syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

te/te/

Open syllable, initial onset.

tra/trə/

Open syllable, onset cluster.

meth/mɛθ/

Open syllable, onset.

yl/ɪl/

Closed syllable, onset and coda.

si/sɪ/

Closed syllable, onset and coda.

lane/leɪn/

Closed syllable, onset and coda.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

tetra-(prefix)
+
methyl-(root)
+
silane(suffix)

Prefix: tetra-

Greek origin, meaning 'four', indicates quantity.

Root: methyl-

German origin, denotes the methyl group (-CH3).

Suffix: silane

Derived from silicon + -ane, indicates a silicon-hydrogen compound.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A colorless liquid organosilicon compound with the formula (CH₃)₄Si.

Translation: N/A

Examples:

"Tetramethylsilane is crucial for accurate NMR spectroscopy."

Synonyms: TMS
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Trimethylaminetri-meth-yl-a-mine

Similar structure with 'methyl' root, stress on the second syllable.

Dimethylsulfidedi-meth-yl-sul-fide

Similar structure with 'methyl' root, stress on the second syllable.

Pentamethylbenzenepen-ta-meth-yl-ben-zene

Similar structure with 'methyl' root, but longer word length affects stress placement.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Syllables attempt to maximize consonant clusters at the beginning (onsets). Applied to 'meth-yl' and 'si-lane'.

Vowel Peak

Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.

Consonant Cluster Simplification

Complex consonant clusters are broken down to create valid syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The technical nature of the word limits pronunciation variations.

Potential for schwa reduction in the first syllable by some speakers.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

Tetramethylsilane is divided into six syllables: te-tra-meth-yl-si-lane. Stress falls on the second syllable. The word is composed of the prefix 'tetra-', the root 'methyl-', and the root 'silane'. Syllable division follows onset maximization and vowel peak principles.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation:

The word "tetramethylsilane" is pronounced /ˌtetrəˈmɛθɪlsɪˌleɪn/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets, is: te-tra-meth-yl-si-lane.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: tetra- (Greek origin, meaning "four"). Morphological function: indicates quantity.
  • Root: methyl- (German origin, from Methan meaning "methane"). Morphological function: denotes the methyl group (-CH3).
  • Root: silane (derived from silicon + -ane). Morphological function: indicates a silicon-hydrogen compound.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: /ˌtetrəˈmɛθɪlsɪˌleɪn/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌtetrəˈmɛθɪlsɪˌleɪn/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "meth" presents a potential ambiguity. However, the established pronunciation dictates the division as "meth-yl" rather than "me-thyl". The final "-ane" is a common suffix and is readily separated.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Tetramethylsilane" functions primarily as a noun, specifically a chemical compound. As a noun, the stress pattern remains consistent. It does not typically function as other parts of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A colorless liquid organosilicon compound with the formula (CH₃)₄Si. It is used as a standard reference point (0 ppm) on the NMR chemical shift scale.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: TMS
  • Antonyms: N/A (as it's a specific chemical compound)
  • Examples: "Tetramethylsilane is crucial for accurate NMR spectroscopy."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Trimethylamine: tri-meth-yl-a-mine. Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • Dimethylsulfide: di-meth-yl-sul-fide. Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • Pentamethylbenzene: pen-ta-meth-yl-ben-zene. Similar structure, stress on the third syllable. The difference in stress placement is due to the longer word length and the presence of the benzene ring.

10. Division Rules:

  • Onset Maximization: Syllables prefer to maximize their onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable). This applies to "meth-yl" and "si-lane".
  • Vowel Peak: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.
  • Consonant Cluster Simplification: Complex consonant clusters are broken down to create valid syllables.

11. Special Considerations:

The word's technical nature and infrequent use mean that variations in pronunciation are less common. However, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the first syllable, making it more of a schwa /ə/.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents General British English, American English pronunciation may differ slightly, potentially with a more pronounced vowel in the first syllable. This would not significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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