HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofunembarrassedness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

un-em-bar-rassed-ness

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

/ʌnɪmˈbærəsdnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('rass').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

un/ʌn/

Open syllable, weak vowel.

em/ɪm/

Closed syllable.

bar/bɑːr/

Open syllable.

rass/ræs/

Closed syllable, stressed.

ed/d/

Closed syllable, suffix.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, suffix.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

un-(prefix)
+
barrass(root)
+
-edness(suffix)

Prefix: un-

Old English, negation

Root: barrass

Anglo-Norman French, to equip/disconcert

Suffix: -edness

English, adjectival/noun-forming

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state of not being embarrassed; composure; self-possession.

Examples:

"She handled the difficult question with complete unembarrassedness."

"His unembarrassedness in the face of criticism was remarkable."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

unhappinessun-hap-pi-ness

Similar prefix and suffix structure.

discomfortdis-com-fort

Similar prefix structure.

embarrassmentem-bar-rass-ment

Shares the root 'barrass'.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime Division

Syllables are divided between onset (initial consonant(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).

Maximizing Onsets

Consonants are assigned to onsets whenever possible.

Suffix Attachment

Suffixes are generally treated as separate syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The '-rassed-' sequence requires careful application of onset maximization.

The word's length and complex morphology necessitate precise rule application.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'unembarrassedness' is divided into five syllables: un-em-bar-rassed-ness. The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('rass'). It's a noun formed from the prefix 'un-', the root 'barrass', and the suffixes '-ed' and '-ness'. Syllable division follows onset-rime principles, maximizing onsets where possible.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "unembarrassedness" (English (GB))

1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced /ʌnɪmˈbærəsdnəs/ in General British English.

2. Syllable Division: un-em-bar-rassed-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: un- (Old English) - Negation.
  • Root: barrass (Anglo-Norman French) - To equip, prepare, or put in order; later, to disconcert or embarrass.
  • Suffix: -ed (English) - Past tense/past participle marker, here functioning adjectivally.
  • Suffix: -ness (English) - Noun-forming suffix denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: /ʌnɪmˈbærəsdnəs/.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ʌnɪmˈbærəsdnəs/

6. Edge Case Review: The sequence "-rassed-" presents a potential complexity. However, the standard rule of maximizing onsets applies, leading to the division "ras-sed" rather than "rass-ed".

7. Grammatical Role: The word functions solely as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state of not being embarrassed; composure; self-possession.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: composure, self-assurance, poise, equanimity
  • Antonyms: embarrassment, awkwardness, shyness, discomposure
  • Examples: "She handled the difficult question with complete unembarrassedness." "His unembarrassedness in the face of criticism was remarkable."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "unhappiness": un-hap-pi-ness. Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress on the third syllable.
  • "discomfort": dis-com-fort. Similar prefix structure. Stress on the second syllable.
  • "embarrassment": em-bar-rass-ment. Shares the root "barrass". Stress on the third syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the varying number of syllables and the weight of the constituent morphemes. "Unembarrassedness" has a longer root and more suffixes, shifting the stress towards the middle.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
un /ʌn/ Open syllable, weak vowel Onset-Rime division, maximizing onsets. None
em /ɪm/ Closed syllable Onset-Rime division, maximizing onsets. None
bar /bɑːr/ Open syllable Onset-Rime division, maximizing onsets. None
rass /ræs/ Closed syllable Onset-Rime division, maximizing onsets. Potential division as "ras-sed" but "rass" is preferred for onset maximization.
ed /d/ Closed syllable Suffix attachment, consonant coda.
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable Suffix attachment, consonant coda. None

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

The word's length and complex morphology require careful application of syllable division rules. The "-rassed-" sequence is a minor point of consideration, but the onset maximization principle resolves it.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Onset-Rime Division: Syllables are divided between onset (initial consonant(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
  2. Maximizing Onsets: Consonants are assigned to onsets whenever possible.
  3. Suffix Attachment: Suffixes are generally treated as separate syllables.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

The hottest word splits in English (GB)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.