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Hyphenation ofuncommunicativeness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

un-com-mu-ni-ca-tive-ness

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

/ʌn kəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv nəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0001000

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('ni'), indicating the root syllable. Other syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

un/ʌn/

Open syllable, unstressed.

com/kəm/

Open syllable, unstressed.

mu/mjuː/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ni/nɪ/

Closed syllable, stressed.

ca/kə/

Open syllable, unstressed.

tive/tɪv/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

un-(prefix)
+
communicat-(root)
+
-ive(suffix)

Prefix: un-

Old English, negation

Root: communicat-

Latin communicare - to share

Suffix: -ive

Latin -ivus, adjective forming

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The quality or state of not being communicative; a lack of willingness to share information or feelings.

Examples:

"His uncommunicativeness made it difficult to understand his motives."

"The patient's uncommunicativeness was a concern to the doctors."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

communicativecom-mu-ni-ca-tive

Shares the root 'communicat-' and the suffix '-ive'.

effectivenessef-fec-tive-ness

Shares the suffix '-ness'.

responsivenessre-spon-si-ve-ness

Shares the suffix '-ness'.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant (VC) Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Consonant-Vowel (CV) Division

Syllables are often divided before a vowel preceded by a consonant.

Stress Placement

Primary stress falls on the root syllable, influenced by morphological structure.

Suffix Division

Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The vowel in 'tive' can be reduced in unstressed positions.

The word's length and complex morphology require careful consideration of syllable boundaries.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'uncommunicativeness' is divided into seven syllables: un-com-mu-ni-ca-tive-ness. The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('ni'). It is formed from the prefix 'un-', the root 'communicat-', and the suffixes '-ive' and '-ness'. It functions as a noun denoting a lack of willingness to communicate.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "uncommunicativeness" presents challenges due to its length and multiple morphemes. 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: un- (Old English) - Negation.
  • Root: communicat- (Latin communicare - to share) - The core meaning of conveying information.
  • Suffix: -ive (Latin -ivus) - Adjective forming suffix, meaning "relating to".
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes) - Noun forming suffix, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: un-com-mu-ni-ca-tive-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ʌn kəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-ive-ness" is relatively common but can sometimes lead to slight variations in pronunciation. The vowel in "-ive" can be reduced in some accents.

7. Grammatical Role:

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

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The quality or state of not being communicative; a lack of willingness to share information or feelings.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: taciturnity, reticence, unresponsiveness, aloofness
  • Antonyms: communicativeness, loquacity, talkativeness
  • Examples: "His uncommunicativeness made it difficult to understand his motives." "The patient's uncommunicativeness was a concern to the doctors."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Communicative: /kəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv/ - Syllable structure is similar, but lacks the "un-" prefix and "-ness" suffix. Stress remains on the third syllable.
  • Effectiveness: /ɪˈfɛktɪvnəs/ - Shares the "-ness" suffix. Stress falls on the second syllable. The initial consonant cluster differs.
  • Responsiveness: /rɪˈspɒnsɪvnəs/ - Also shares the "-ness" suffix. Stress falls on the second syllable. The initial consonant cluster differs.

These comparisons demonstrate that the "-ness" suffix consistently receives secondary stress, while the root syllable often carries primary stress. The prefixes and initial consonant clusters influence the overall syllable count and stress placement.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
un /ʌn/ Open syllable, unstressed Vowel followed by consonant None
com /kəm/ Open syllable, unstressed Vowel followed by consonant None
mu /mjuː/ Open syllable, unstressed Semivowel + vowel None
ni /nɪ/ Closed syllable, stressed Vowel preceded and followed by consonants Potential vowel reduction in some accents
ca /kə/ Open syllable, unstressed Vowel followed by consonant None
tive /tɪv/ Closed syllable, unstressed Vowel preceded and followed by consonants Vowel reduction possible
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable, unstressed Vowel preceded and followed by consonants None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant (VC) Division: Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., "com-").
  2. Consonant-Vowel (CV) Division: Syllables are often divided before a vowel preceded by a consonant (e.g., "mu-").
  3. Stress Placement: Primary stress falls on the root syllable, influenced by morphological structure.
  4. Suffix Division: Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables (e.g., "-tive", "-ness").

Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology require careful consideration of stress placement and syllable boundaries. The vowel in "tive" can be reduced to /ɪ/ in unstressed positions.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional accents might exhibit slight variations in vowel quality or stress placement, but the overall syllable division remains consistent.

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

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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.