Hyphenation ofdisproportionable

Linguistic Analysis of "disproportionable"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "disproportionable" is pronounced /ˌdɪsˌprəˈpɔːrʃənəbl̩/ in US English. It exhibits a complex syllable structure due to its length and multiple morphemes.

2. Syllable Division:

dis-pro-por-tion-a-ble

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: dis- (Latin, meaning "not" or "opposite of"). Morphological function: negation.
• Root: proportion (Latin proportio meaning "a corresponding in quantity"). Morphological function: core meaning relating to relative size or amount.
• Suffix: -able (Latin -abilis, English suffix). Morphological function: forms an adjective indicating capability or susceptibility.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ˌdɪsˌprəˈpɔːrʃənəbl̩/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌdɪsˌprəˈpɔːrʃənəbl̩/

6. Edge Case Review:

The final syllable "-ble" presents a potential edge case. It can be considered a closed syllable due to the /l/ consonant, but the schwa vowel and syllabic /l/ create a complex sonority profile.

7. Grammatical Role:

"disproportionable" functions solely as an adjective. There are no significant syllabification or stress shifts if it were to hypothetically function as another part of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Not proportionate; out of proportion.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: immoderate, unbalanced, excessive, incommensurable
• Antonyms: proportionate, balanced, moderate
• Examples: "The cost of the repairs was disproportionable to the value of the car." "His reaction was disproportionable to the minor offense."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• comparable: com-pa-ra-ble. Similar structure with a prefix, root, and -able suffix. Stress falls on the second syllable.
• proportionate: pro-por-tion-ate. Shares the root "proportion" and the -ate suffix. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• considerable: con-sid-er-a-ble. Similar length and structure with a prefix, root, and -able suffix. Stress falls on the third syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the varying weight of the prefixes and the inherent sonority profiles of the root vowels. "disproportionable" has a heavier prefix and a more complex root vowel sequence, leading to the stress shifting to the third syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

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 Nucleus Rule: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound (nucleus).
3. Syllabic Consonant Rule: In certain cases, a consonant can function as a syllable nucleus (e.g., syllabic /l/).

Special Considerations:

The silent 't' in "tion" is a common exception in English orthography and affects the phonetic realization of the syllable. The syllabic /l/ in the final syllable is a less common but acceptable syllable structure.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the first syllable (/dɪs/) to /də/, but this doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.