counterespionage
Syllables
coun-ter-es-pi-o-nage
Pronunciation
/ˌkaʊntərɛspiˈoʊnɑːʒ/
Stress
010101
Morphemes
counter- + espionage + -age
The word 'counterespionage' is a noun of French origin, divided into six syllables with primary stress on 'spi' and secondary stress on 'coun'. Syllabification follows the principle of maximizing syllable onsets and respecting morphemic boundaries.
Definitions
- 1
The practice of spying or using spies, especially by governments, to obtain political or military information; the act of thwarting espionage.
“The agency was involved in a complex operation of counterespionage.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress on the third syllable (*spi*). Secondary stress on the first syllable (*coun*).
Syllables
coun — Open syllable. Vowel followed by a consonant.. ter — Closed syllable. Vowel followed by a consonant cluster.. es — Closed syllable. Vowel followed by a consonant.. pi — Closed syllable. Primary stress applied. Vowel followed by a consonant.. o — Open syllable. Single vowel.. nage — Closed syllable. Vowel followed by a consonant cluster.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Maximize onset principle
Applied where phonotactically permissible.
VCV sequence split
Split as C-V if maximizing the onset would create an illegal onset.
Morpheme boundaries
Syllable division influenced by morphemic boundaries, particularly at the prefix-root juncture.
- The word's length and complex morphology require careful consideration of morphemic boundaries.
- The presence of the French-derived morphemes influences the pronunciation and syllabification.
- Some speakers may reduce the vowel in the first syllable to /ə/.
Nearby Words
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