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Hyphenation ofthrough-and-through

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

through-and-through

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

/θruː.ænd.θruː/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

101

Primary stress on the first syllable ('through'), secondary stress on the last syllable ('through').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

through/θruː/

Closed syllable, primary stress.

and/ænd/

Open syllable, unstressed.

through/θruː/

Closed syllable, secondary stress.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

through(prefix)
+
and(root)
+
through(suffix)

Prefix: through

Old English *þurh*, indicating completeness.

Root: and

Old English *and*, coordinating conjunction functioning as part of a compound.

Suffix: through

Old English *þurh*, reduplication reinforcing completeness.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Completely; utterly; thoroughly.

Examples:

"He was a through-and-through villain."

"The house was cleaned through-and-through."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

throughoutthrough-out

Shares the /θr/ onset and similar syllable structure.

understandun-der-stand

Contains the 'and' syllable, demonstrating a similar internal structure.

backgroundback-ground

Exhibits a compound structure similar to 'through-and-through'.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime Division

Syllables are divided based on the onset (initial consonant sounds) and rime (vowel and following consonants).

Special Considerations

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

The repetition of 'through' is unusual but grammatically acceptable.

The /θr/ cluster is relatively uncommon but permissible in English.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'through-and-through' is an adjective formed by reduplication of the prefix 'through' with the conjunction 'and'. It is divided into three syllables: through-and-through, with primary stress on the first syllable. The phonetic transcription is /θruː.ænd.θruː/.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "through-and-through" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation:

The word "through-and-through" is pronounced as /θruː.ænd.θruː/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only the original letters, is: through-and-through

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: through- (Old English þurh), indicating completeness or permeation.
  • Root: and (Old English and), a coordinating conjunction. In this context, it functions as part of a compound adjective.
  • Suffix: -through (Old English þurh), reinforcing the completeness indicated by the initial prefix. This is a reduplication of the prefix, functioning adjectivally.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the first syllable: through. The second "through" receives secondary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/θruː.ænd.θruː/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • through /θruː/: This syllable is closed (ends in a consonant). Rule applied: Onset-Rime division. The onset is /θr/ and the rime is /uː/. Potential exception: The /θr/ cluster is relatively uncommon but permissible in English.
  • and /ænd/: This syllable is open (ends in a vowel). Rule applied: Onset-Rime division. The onset is /ænd/. Potential exception: None.
  • through /θruː/: This syllable is closed (ends in a consonant). Rule applied: Onset-Rime division. The onset is /θr/ and the rime is /uː/. Potential exception: The /θr/ cluster is relatively uncommon but permissible in English.

7. Edge Case Review:

The repetition of "through" is unusual, but the compound adjective formation is acceptable. The stress pattern is consistent with similar compound adjectives.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Through-and-through" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Completely; utterly; thoroughly.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: Complete, utter, thorough, absolute, total.
  • Antonyms: Partial, incomplete, superficial.
  • Examples: "He was a through-and-through villain." "The house was cleaned through-and-through."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might exhibit slightly different vowel qualities (e.g., /ruː/ instead of /uː/), but the syllable division remains the same.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • throughout: through-out /θruː.aʊt/ - Similar /θr/ onset, but different rime.
  • understand: un-der-stand /ʌn.də.stænd/ - Different onset and rime structures, but shares the 'and' syllable structure.
  • background: back-ground /bæk.ɡraʊnd/ - Similar compound structure, but different phonetic elements.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/6/2025

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