HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofcounselors-at-law

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

coun-sel-ors-at-law

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

/ˈkaʊnslərz æt lɔː/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

10101

Primary stress falls on the second syllable of 'counselors' (ORS) and the first syllable of 'law' (LAW).

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

coun/kaʊn/

Open syllable, onset cluster /kaʊ/

sel/səl/

Closed syllable, coda /l/

ors/ɔrz/

Closed syllable, coda /rz/

at/æt/

Open syllable

law/lɔː/

Open syllable

Morphemic Breakdown

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

at(prefix)
+
counsel(root)
+
-ors(suffix)

Prefix: at

Old English origin, indicating a state or condition.

Root: counsel

Old French origin, meaning to advise.

Suffix: -ors

English suffix forming plural nouns denoting agents.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Lawyers; legal professionals.

Examples:

"The firm employs several experienced counselors-at-law."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

accountantsa-coun-tants

Similar compound noun structure with a shared root-like element ('coun').

advisorsad-vi-sors

Shares the '-ors' suffix, indicating agents performing an action.

doctorsdoc-tors

Shares the '-ors' suffix, indicating agents performing an action.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Consonant clusters are included in the onset of the syllable whenever possible.

Vowel-Coda Rule

Syllables can end in a vowel (open syllable) or a consonant/consonant cluster (closed syllable).

Special Considerations

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

The hyphenated structure represents a morphological boundary but is phonologically treated as a single prosodic unit.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may occur but do not affect syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'counselors-at-law' is a five-syllable compound noun with stress on 'ORS' and 'LAW'. Syllabification follows standard English rules of onset maximization and vowel-coda structure. It's composed of the root 'counsel' and 'law' with suffixes and a prefix.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "counselors-at-law" (US English)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "counselors-at-law" is a compound noun. Its pronunciation reflects its constituent parts. The hyphenated structure influences the perceived boundaries, but the overall pronunciation follows standard US English phonological rules.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets, is as follows:

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • counselors:
    • Prefix: None
    • Root: counsel (Old French conseiller - to advise) - denoting advice or legal representation.
    • Suffix: -ors (English) - forming plural nouns denoting people who perform the action.
  • at-law:
    • Prefix: at (Old English æt - in the state of) - indicating a specific legal context.
    • Root: law (Old English lagu - a regulation) - denoting the system of rules.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable of "counselors" and the first syllable of "law". The overall stress pattern is therefore: counsel-ORS-at-LAW.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈkaʊnslərz æt lɔː/

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated structure presents a slight edge case. While typically hyphenated compounds are treated as separate words for stress purposes, here, the close semantic relationship and common usage suggest a unified stress pattern.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a compound noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress based on different grammatical roles.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Lawyers; legal professionals.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (compound noun)
  • Synonyms: attorneys, advocates, legal representatives
  • Antonyms: (None directly applicable)
  • Examples: "The firm specializes in representing clients through experienced counselors-at-law."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • accountants: a-coun-tants (3 syllables) - Similar structure with a compound noun, stress on the second syllable.
  • advisors: ad-vi-sors (3 syllables) - Similar suffix "-ors", stress on the second syllable.
  • doctors: doc-tors (2 syllables) - Similar suffix "-ors", stress on the first syllable.

The difference in syllable count arises from the length of the initial root morpheme. "Counselors" has a longer root than "doctors" or "advisors", resulting in a more complex syllable structure.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
coun /kaʊn/ Open syllable, onset cluster /kaʊ/ Onset Maximization - Consonant clusters are permitted at the beginning of syllables. None
sel /səl/ Closed syllable, coda /l/ Vowel-Coda Rule - Syllables can end in a consonant. None
ors /ɔrz/ Closed syllable, coda /rz/ Vowel-Coda Rule - Syllables can end in a consonant cluster. The /rz/ cluster is common in English.
at /æt/ Open syllable Vowel-Coda Rule - Syllables can be open (ending in a vowel). None
law /lɔː/ Open syllable Vowel-Coda Rule - Syllables can be open (ending in a vowel). None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Onset Maximization: Consonant clusters are included in the onset of the syllable whenever possible.
  2. Vowel-Coda Rule: Syllables can end in a vowel (open syllable) or a consonant/consonant cluster (closed syllable).
  3. Syllable Weight: Syllables tend to be structured to avoid overly complex or unusual syllable weights.

Special Considerations:

The hyphenated structure is a morphological boundary, but phonologically, the word is treated as a single prosodic unit. The stress pattern reflects this unified pronunciation.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., /aʊ/ vs. /aː/) might occur, but these do not significantly alter the syllable division.

Short Analysis:

"counselors-at-law" is a compound noun divided into five syllables: coun-sel-ors-at-law, with primary stress on "ORS" and "LAW". It's composed of the root "counsel" and "law" with suffixes "-ors" and prefix "at". Syllabification follows onset maximization and vowel-coda rules.

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

The hottest word splits in English (US)

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.