Hyphenation ofdown-in-the-mouth

Linguistic Analysis of "down-in-the-mouth" (US English)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "down-in-the-mouth" is a phrasal adjective, commonly used to describe a sad or depressed appearance. Its pronunciation involves a sequence of relatively straightforward syllables, though the linking of "in-the" presents a minor consideration.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

down-in-the-mouth

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• down: Prefix. Origin: Old English. Function: Indicates a lowering of mood or spirits.
• in: Preposition. Origin: Old English. Function: Indicates a state or condition.
• the: Definite article. Origin: Old English. Function: Specifies a particular instance.
• mouth: Root. Origin: Old English. Function: Refers to the opening in the face.

This is a compound adjective formed by a prepositional phrase modifying "mouth". It doesn't have traditional suffixes.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the first syllable of "mouth". The stress pattern is relatively weak across the other syllables.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/daʊn ɪn ðə maʊθ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The linking of "in-the" is a common feature of connected speech in English. While it could be considered a single prosodic unit, for syllabification, we maintain the separation based on orthography.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Down-in-the-mouth" functions solely as an adjective. There is no shift in syllabification or stress if it were to function as another part of speech, as it is a fixed expression.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Appearing sad or depressed; dejected.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: gloomy, despondent, crestfallen, melancholy
• Antonyms: cheerful, happy, optimistic, buoyant
• Examples:
  • "He looked utterly down-in-the-mouth after losing the game."
  • "She was down-in-the-mouth all day after receiving the bad news."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "Roundabout": round-a-bout. Similar syllable structure (CVC-CVC). Stress on the first syllable.
• "Out-of-the-way": out-of-the-way. Similar compound structure with prepositions. Stress on "out".
• "Up-to-date": up-to-date. Similar compound structure with prepositions. Stress on "up".

The key difference is the final syllable, "mouth," which is a single morpheme and receives stress, while the other examples have multiple syllables within the final component.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant (VC): Syllables are often divided after a vowel when followed by a consonant (e.g., "down," "in," "the").
2. Diphthong-Consonant (DC): Syllables are divided after a diphthong when followed by a consonant (e.g., "mouth").

Special Considerations:

The phrase "down-in-the-mouth" is idiomatic. While the individual words follow standard syllabification rules, the phrase as a whole functions as a single unit of meaning.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., the /aʊ/ in "down") might exist, but they do not significantly alter the syllabification.