affirmativeaction
Syllables
af-fir-ma-tive-ac-tion
Pronunciation
/əˈfɜːrmətɪv ˈækʃən/
Stress
010110
Morphemes
af- + firm/act + -ative/-ion
The word 'affirmative-action' is a compound noun syllabified into six syllables (af-fir-ma-tive-ac-tion) with primary stress on the third syllable of 'affirmative' and the first syllable of 'action'. It's morphemically composed of prefixes, roots, and suffixes of Latin origin. Syllabification follows standard US English rules of onset maximization, vowel-sonorant syllabification, and CVC structure.
Definitions
- 1
A set of policies and practices designed to counteract past and present discrimination.
“The university implemented an affirmative-action program.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the third syllable of 'affirmative' and the first syllable of 'action'.
Syllables
af — Open syllable, onset consonant cluster.. fir — Closed syllable, CVC structure.. ma — Open syllable, vowel-sonorant syllabification.. tive — Closed syllable, CVC structure.. ac — Open syllable, vowel-consonant structure.. tion — Closed syllable, consonant cluster onset, CVC structure.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Onset Maximization
Consonant clusters are maximized within the onset of a syllable.
Vowel-Sonorant Syllabification
Sonorant consonants are generally syllabified with the following vowel.
CVC Structure
Syllables tend to follow a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant structure.
Open Syllable Preference
Syllables ending in vowels are preferred.
- The hyphen in 'affirmative-action' indicates a compound word.
- Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is common.
- Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may exist.
Nearby Words
17 wordsTrending in English (US)
Terms getting hyphenated by users right now.