Hyphenation ofempty-handedness

1. IPA Transcription: /ˈɛmpti ˌhændɪdnəs/

2. Morphemic Breakdown:

• Prefix: empty- (Old English empti, meaning "void, without contents") - derivational prefix indicating a lack of something.
• Root: hand (Old English hand, Proto-Germanic *handaz) - noun denoting the body part.
• Suffix: -ed (Old English -ed) - inflectional suffix indicating past participle, here functioning as an adjective.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes) - derivational suffix forming a noun of state or quality.

3. Stressed Syllables: Primary stress falls on the first syllable: em-. Secondary stress falls on -hand-.

4. Syllables List with IPA and Rule Explanations:

• em-: /ɛm/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant, creating an onset and nucleus.
• pty-: /pti/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster, creating an onset, nucleus, and coda.
• han-: /hænd/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster, creating an onset, nucleus, and coda.
• ded-: /dɪd/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant, creating an onset, nucleus, and coda.
• ness: /nəs/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by a consonant, creating an onset, nucleus, and coda.

5. Syllable Division Rule Explanations:

• The primary rule applied is the "Onset-Rime" principle, where syllables are divided based on maximizing the number of consonants in the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and minimizing the number in the coda (final consonant sound(s)).
• Consonant clusters are generally maintained within the same syllable, unless a vowel intervenes.
• Vowel digraphs and diphthongs are treated as single vowel sounds within a syllable.

6. Potential Exceptions/Special Cases (per syllable):

• em-: No exceptions.
• pty-: The 'pt' cluster is common and doesn't pose a division issue.
• han-: No exceptions.
• ded-: No exceptions.
• ness: No exceptions.

7. Exceptions/Special Cases (word-level):

• The compound nature of the word (multiple morphemes) doesn't significantly alter the syllabification process, but it informs the understanding of the word's structure.
• The presence of the suffix -ed functioning adjectivally doesn't change the syllabification.

8. Syllabification and Parts of Speech:

The word primarily functions as a noun. If it were hypothetically used adjectivally (though rare), the syllabification would remain the same. Stress patterns are relatively fixed in English, and the core syllabic structure doesn't shift based on grammatical function.

9. Definition:

• Word: empty-handedness
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Definitions:
  • The state of having nothing in one's hands.
  • The condition of being without resources or support.
• Translation: (N/A - English)
• Synonyms: destitution, impoverishment, lack, barehandedness
• Antonyms: wealth, abundance, fullness
• Examples:
  • "His empty-handedness was a stark reminder of the economic hardship."
  • "She approached the task with a sense of empty-handedness, knowing she lacked the necessary skills."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

• Some speakers might reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables (e.g., /ˌhændɪdnəs/ instead of /ˌhændɪdnəs/), but this doesn't affect the syllable division.
• Regional accents might influence vowel quality, but the core syllabic structure remains consistent.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• happiness: hap-pi-ness (similar structure, stress on the first syllable) - both have a similar suffix and stress pattern.
• friendliness: friend-li-ness (similar structure, stress on the first syllable) - shares the -ness suffix and a similar onset-rime structure.
• thoughtfulness: thought-ful-ness (similar structure, stress on the first syllable) - again, shares the -ness suffix and a comparable syllabic pattern.

The consistency in syllabification across these words demonstrates the application of standard English syllabification rules. The primary difference lies in the complexity of the onset and rime based on the specific consonant and vowel combinations in each word.