Hyphenation ofcross-examination

Linguistic Analysis of "cross-examination"

1. Pronunciation:

The word "cross-examination" is pronounced as /ˌkrɔs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/ in US English.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: cross-ex-am-i-na-tion

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: cross- (Old English) - Function: Adverbial particle, indicating opposition or intersection.
• Root: examine (Latin examinare - to investigate) - Function: Verb, meaning to inspect closely.
• Suffix: -ation (Latin -atio) - Function: Noun-forming suffix, creating a noun of action or state from a verb.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: /ˌkrɔs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/. Secondary stress is on the first syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌkrɔs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• cross: /krɔs/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). Potential exception: The 'ss' digraph could be considered a single consonant cluster, but is treated as two for syllabification.
• ex: /ɛɡ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel.
• am: /æm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s).
• i: /ˈaɪ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Single vowel constitutes a syllable.
• na: /nə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by consonant.
• tion: /ʃən/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel.

7. Edge Case Review:

The combination of 'ex' and 'am' can sometimes be debated, but the common practice is to separate them due to the vowel sounds. The 'i' syllable is short and often elided in rapid speech, but it maintains its syllabic status.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Cross-examination" primarily functions as a noun. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The questioning of a witness called by the opposing side in a court of law.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: Interrogation, questioning, grilling.
• Antonyms: Direct examination, testimony.
• Example Usage: "The lawyer conducted a thorough cross-examination of the defendant."

10. Phonological Comparison:

• Information: in-for-ma-tion (4 syllables, stress on second syllable) - Similar structure with suffixes, but different vowel sounds and stress placement.
• Examination: ex-am-i-na-tion (4 syllables, stress on third syllable) - Shares the root "examine" and the "-ation" suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification of these morphemes.
• Communication: com-mu-ni-ca-tion (5 syllables, stress on third syllable) - Similar suffix "-ation", but a different root and more complex consonant clusters.

11. Division Rules:

• Vowel Rule: A vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are typically broken up to create syllables, but digraphs can be treated as single sounds.
• Stress-Timing Rule: English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable prominence.

12. Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology require careful consideration of vowel and consonant clusters. Regional variations in pronunciation might slightly alter the perceived syllable boundaries, but the core syllabification remains consistent.

13. Short Analysis:

"Cross-examination" is a five-syllable noun with primary stress on the fourth syllable (/ˌkrɔs ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/). It's formed from the prefix "cross-", the root "examine", and the suffix "-ation". Syllabification follows vowel-consonant patterns and respects morphemic boundaries.