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Hyphenation ofcomprehensiveness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

com-pre-hen-sive-ness

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

/ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪvnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

10010

Primary stress on the fourth syllable ('sive'), secondary stress on the first syllable ('com').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

com/kɒm/

Open syllable, stressed

pre/prɛ/

Open syllable, unstressed

hen/hɛn/

Closed syllable, unstressed

sive/sɪv/

Closed syllable, stressed

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, unstressed

Morphemic Breakdown

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

com-(prefix)
+
prehend(root)
+
-ness(suffix)

Prefix: com-

Latin, intensifying prefix

Root: prehend

Latin, to grasp, seize

Suffix: -ness

Old English, nominalizing suffix

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of being comprehensive; completeness.

Examples:

"The comprehensiveness of the report was impressive."

"Her comprehensiveness in addressing the issue was appreciated."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

responsivenessre-spon-sive-ness

Similar suffix structure (-sive-ness)

impressivenessim-pres-sive-ness

Similar suffix structure (-sive-ness)

competitivenesscom-pet-i-tive-ness

Similar prefix and suffix structure

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime Division

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

Vowel-Consonant Division

When a vowel is followed by a consonant within a syllable, the syllable is typically divided before the consonant.

Stress Assignment

Primary stress is assigned based on lexical rules and morphological structure.

Special Considerations

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

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

The presence of multiple suffixes influences the overall syllable structure.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'comprehensiveness' is divided into five syllables: com-pre-hen-sive-ness. It features a Latin-derived root and multiple suffixes. Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('sive'), with secondary stress on the first ('com'). Syllable division follows standard onset-rime principles.

Detailed Analysis:

Comprehensive Linguistic Analysis of "comprehensiveness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "comprehensiveness" is pronounced /ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪvnəs/ in US English. It features a complex syllable structure with multiple vowels and consonants.

2. Syllable Division:

com-pre-hen-sive-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: com- (Latin, meaning "with, together") - Intensifying prefix.
  • Root: prehend (Latin, meaning "to grasp, seize") - The core meaning of understanding.
  • Suffix: -en- (Latin, adjectival suffix) - Forms an adjective.
  • Suffix: -sive (Latin, adjectival suffix) - Forms an adjective, indicating a tendency or quality.
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English, nominalizing suffix) - Forms a noun from an adjective, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: com-pre-hen-sive-ness. Secondary stress is present on the first syllable: com-pre-hen-sive-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪvnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-sive-ness" is relatively common and doesn't present significant edge cases. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is standard.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Comprehensiveness" primarily functions as a noun. As a noun, the stress pattern remains consistent. It does not have alternate syllabification patterns based on different parts of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of being comprehensive; completeness.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: thoroughness, completeness, inclusivity, exhaustiveness
  • Antonyms: incompleteness, superficiality, narrowness
  • Examples: "The comprehensiveness of the report was impressive." "Her comprehensiveness in addressing the issue was appreciated."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Responsiveness: re-spon-sive-ness. Similar structure with a suffix chain (-sive-ness). Stress falls on the third syllable.
  • Impressiveness: im-pres-sive-ness. Again, similar structure. Stress falls on the third syllable.
  • Competitiveness: com-pet-i-tive-ness. Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress falls on the third syllable.

The consistent stress on the penultimate syllable before "-ness" in these words demonstrates a common pattern in English. "Comprehensiveness" differs due to the length and complexity of the root, shifting the stress back one syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
com /kɒm/ Open syllable, stressed Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant Vowel reduction possible in unstressed position.
pre /prɛ/ Open syllable, unstressed Onset-Rime division, consonant cluster followed by vowel
hen /hɛn/ Closed syllable, unstressed Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant
sive /sɪv/ Closed syllable, stressed Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable, unstressed Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Onset-Rime Division: Syllables are divided based on the onset (initial consonant(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
  2. Vowel-Consonant Division: When a vowel is followed by a consonant within a syllable, the syllable is typically divided before the consonant.
  3. Stress Assignment: Primary stress is assigned based on lexical rules and morphological structure.

Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology require careful consideration of stress assignment and syllable boundaries. The presence of multiple suffixes influences the overall syllable structure.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Minor variations in vowel quality (e.g., /ɑ/ vs. /ɒ/ in "com") may occur depending on regional accents. These variations do not significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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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.