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Hyphenation ofuntrustworthiness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

un-trust-worth-i-ness

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

/ʌnˈtrʌstˌwɜːθɪnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

01100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('worth'). The first, fourth and fifth 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. Consists of a vowel.

trust/trʌst/

Closed syllable, stressed. Contains a consonant cluster onset and a vowel followed by a consonant.

worth/wɜːθ/

Closed syllable, primary stressed. Contains a vowel followed by a consonant cluster.

i/ɪ/

Open syllable, unstressed. Consists of a vowel.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, unstressed. Contains a consonant cluster onset and a vowel followed by a consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

un(prefix)
+
trust(root)
+
worthiness(suffix)

Prefix: un

Old English, negation

Root: trust

Old Norse *traust*, confidence

Suffix: worthiness

Old English *weorþ* + *-nes*, quality of being + abstract noun suffix

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The quality or state of being untrustworthy; lack of reliability.

Examples:

"His untrustworthiness led to the collapse of the deal."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

responsibilityre-spon-si-bil-i-ty

Similar morphological structure with multiple suffixes.

understandabilityun-der-stand-a-bil-i-ty

Shares the *-ability* suffix and a prefix.

friendlinessfriend-li-ness

Demonstrates the *-ness* suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Consonant clusters are kept together at the beginning of syllables (e.g., 'tr-' in 'trust').

Vowel Peak Principle

Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.

Avoidance of Stranded Consonants

Consonants are not left alone at the end of a syllable unless they form part of a consonant cluster.

Morphological Boundaries

Syllable breaks often align with morpheme boundaries (e.g., 'un-' / 'trust').

Special Considerations

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

The /wɜːθ/ sequence can sometimes be reduced in rapid speech.

Non-rhoticity of the 'r' sound in GB English unless followed by a vowel.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'untrustworthiness' is divided into five syllables: un-trust-worth-i-ness. The primary stress falls on 'worth'. It's a noun formed from the prefix 'un-', the root 'trust', and the suffixes 'worth' and 'iness'. Syllable division follows rules of onset maximization, vowel peak principle, and avoidance of stranded consonants, often aligning with morpheme boundaries.

Detailed Analysis:

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

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "untrustworthiness" presents challenges due to its length and complex morphology. Pronunciation in GB English generally follows Received Pronunciation (RP) standards, though regional variations exist. The 'r' is typically non-rhotic unless followed by a vowel.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, which prioritize maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, the division will be as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: un- (Old English) - Negation.
  • Root: trust (Old Norse traust) - Confidence, reliance.
  • Suffixes: -worth (Old English weorþ) - Quality of being valuable or reliable; -iness (Old English -nes) - Forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: worth. This is typical for words with this morphological structure.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ʌnˈtrʌstˌwɜːθɪnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence /wɜːθ/ can sometimes be simplified to /wɜːθ/ or /wəθ/ in rapid speech, but the full form is more common in careful articulation. The 'r' sound is non-rhotic unless followed by a vowel.

7. Grammatical Role:

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

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The quality or state of being untrustworthy; lack of reliability.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: dishonesty, unreliability, deceitfulness, perfidy.
  • Antonyms: trustworthiness, honesty, reliability, integrity.
  • Example Usage: "His untrustworthiness led to the collapse of the deal."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty (5 syllables) - Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress on the third syllable.
  • Understandability: un-der-stand-a-bil-i-ty (7 syllables) - Longer, but shares the –ability suffix. Stress on the fourth syllable.
  • Friendliness: friend-li-ness (3 syllables) - Shorter, but demonstrates the -ness suffix. Stress on the second syllable.

The differences in syllable count and stress placement are primarily due to the varying lengths of the root words and the number of prefixes/suffixes attached.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables (e.g., /ˌʌnˈtrʌstˌwɜːθɪnəs/), but this doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Syllable Division Rules Applied:

  • Onset Maximization: Consonant clusters are generally kept together at the beginning of syllables (e.g., tr-).
  • Vowel Peak Principle: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.
  • Avoidance of Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left alone at the end of a syllable unless they form part of a consonant cluster.
  • Morphological Boundaries: Syllable breaks often align with morpheme boundaries (e.g., un- / trust).
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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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.