Hyphenation ofuncommensurableness

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "uncommensurableness" presents challenges due to its length and complex morphology. Pronunciation in GB English will generally follow standard Received Pronunciation (RP) or General British tendencies, 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: un- (Old English) - Negation.
• Root: commensurable (Latin commensurabilis from commensus – measured together, and mensura – measure) - Capable of being measured by a common standard.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English) - Noun-forming suffix denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: un-com-men-sur-a-ble-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ʌnˈkɒm.ən.s(j)ʊr.ə.bl̩.nəs/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• un-: /ʌn/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. No exceptions.
• com-: /kɒm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters can begin a syllable. No exceptions.
• men-: /mən/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). No exceptions.
• sur-: /ˈs(j)ʊr/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound following a consonant cluster. The (j) is a potential glide, depending on the speaker.
• a-: /ə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Single vowel sound constitutes a syllable. No exceptions.
• ble-: /bl̩/ - Closed syllable. Syllabic consonant /l/ forms the syllable nucleus. Rule: Syllabic consonants can form a syllable.
• ness: /nəs/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound following a consonant. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review:

The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a common feature in English, but its pronunciation can vary. Some speakers may pronounce it as a full vowel-consonant syllable ("ble-uh").

8. Grammatical Role:

"Uncommensurableness" functions solely as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being immeasurable or incomparable.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: incomparability, immeasurability, disproportion
• Antonyms: comparability, measurability, proportion
• Examples: "The uncommensurableness of grief is often overwhelming." "There is an uncommensurableness between the effort expended and the results achieved."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., /ɒ/ vs. /ɔː/) might occur, but these do not significantly alter the syllable division. The presence or absence of the glide /j/ after /s/ in "sur-" is also a potential variation.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• Immeasurability: im-meas-ur-a-bil-i-ty (similar syllable structure, stress on the third syllable)
• Incomparability: in-com-par-a-bil-i-ty (similar syllable structure, stress on the third syllable)
• Disproportion: dis-pro-por-tion (similar syllable structure, stress on the second syllable)

The key difference lies in the length and complexity of the root word. "Uncommensurableness" has a longer and more complex root ("commensurable") than the other words, leading to a greater number of syllables. The presence of the syllabic /l/ is also a distinguishing feature.