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Hyphenation ofhypocholesterolemia

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

hy-po-cho-les-te-ro-le-mi-a

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/ˌhaɪpoʊkɒlɪˈstɛrəloʊˈmiːə/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100110

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable (/ˈstɛrəloʊ/). Secondary stress falls on the seventh syllable (/ˈmiːə/). The remaining syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

hy/haɪ/

Open syllable, diphthong

po/poʊ/

Open syllable, diphthong

cho/kɒ/

Closed syllable

les/lɛs/

Closed syllable

te/tɛ/

Open syllable

ro/roʊ/

Open syllable, diphthong

le/loʊ/

Open syllable, diphthong

mi/miː/

Open syllable, long vowel

a/ə/

Open syllable, schwa

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

hypo-(prefix)
+
cholesterol-(root)
+
-emia(suffix)

Prefix: hypo-

Greek origin, meaning 'under,' 'below,' or 'deficient.'

Root: cholesterol-

Greek origin (chole- 'bile' + stereos- 'solid'), referring to the fatty substance.

Suffix: -emia

Greek origin, meaning 'condition of blood.'

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A condition characterized by abnormally low levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Examples:

"The patient was diagnosed with hypocholesterolemia after a series of blood tests."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photographypho-to-gra-phy

Similar length and complexity; comparable syllable structure (CVC, CV).

biochemistrybio-chem-is-try

Similar prefix/root/suffix structure; consistent syllable division rules.

psychologypsy-cho-lo-gy

Shares the '-ology' suffix; consistent syllable division.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Rule

Each syllable must contain at least one vowel sound.

Onset-Rime Rule

Syllables are typically divided between onset (initial consonant(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they can be naturally divided.

Stress-Timing Rule

English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable prominence.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The length and complexity of the word, combined with the presence of multiple schwas, make it a challenging case for syllable division.

The sequence '-le-' can sometimes create syllable boundary ambiguity, but the vowel sound is distinct in this case.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

Hypocholesterolemia is a nine-syllable word (hy-po-cho-les-te-ro-le-mi-a) with primary stress on the fourth syllable. It's composed of the Greek prefix 'hypo-', the root 'cholesterol-', and the suffix '-emia'. Syllable division follows standard English vowel and onset-rime rules, with considerations for schwa sounds and consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "hypocholesterolemia" (English - US)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "hypocholesterolemia" is a complex, multi-syllabic word of Greek and Latin origin. Its pronunciation in US English is generally /ˌhaɪpoʊkɒlɪˈstɛrəloʊˈmiːə/.

2. Syllable Division:

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

hy-po-cho-les-te-ro-le-mi-a

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: hypo- (Greek) - meaning "under," "below," or "deficient." Morphological function: modifies the root.
  • Root: cholesterol- (Greek chole- "bile" + stereos- "solid") - referring to the fatty substance. Morphological function: core meaning.
  • Suffix: -emia (Greek) - meaning "condition of blood." Morphological function: indicates a condition related to the blood.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: /ˌhaɪpoʊkɒlɪˈstɛrəloʊˈmiːə/. There is secondary stress on the seventh syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌhaɪpoʊkɒlɪˈstɛrəloʊˈmiːə/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-le-" can sometimes create syllable boundary ambiguity. However, in this case, the vowel sound is clearly distinct, justifying the syllable division. The presence of multiple schwas (/ə/) also requires careful consideration.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Hypocholesterolemia" functions primarily as a noun. Its grammatical role doesn't significantly alter the syllable division or stress pattern.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A condition characterized by abnormally low levels of cholesterol in the blood.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: hypolipidemia (though not a direct synonym, it refers to low lipid levels)
  • Antonyms: hypercholesterolemia
  • Examples: "The patient was diagnosed with hypocholesterolemia after a series of blood tests."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Photography: pho-to-gra-phy. Similar in length and complexity. Stress pattern differs, but syllable structure (CVC, CV) is comparable.
  • Biochemistry: bio-chem-is-try. Similar prefix/root/suffix structure. Syllable division follows similar rules.
  • Psychology: psy-cho-lo-gy. Shares the "-ology" suffix. Syllable division is consistent with the rules applied to "hypocholesterolemia."

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
hy /haɪ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel followed by consonant None
po /poʊ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel followed by consonant None
cho /kɒ/ Closed syllable Consonant-Vowel-Consonant None
les /lɛs/ Closed syllable Consonant-Vowel-Consonant The "le" sequence can sometimes be ambiguous, but the vowel sound is distinct.
te /tɛ/ Open syllable Vowel followed by consonant None
ro /roʊ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel followed by consonant None
le /loʊ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel followed by consonant None
mi /miː/ Open syllable, long vowel Vowel followed by consonant None
a /ə/ Open syllable, schwa Vowel Schwa is common in unstressed syllables.

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

The length and complexity of the word, combined with the presence of multiple schwas, make it a challenging case for syllable division. However, the rules consistently apply.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel Rule: Each syllable must contain at least one vowel sound.
  2. Onset-Rime Rule: Syllables are typically divided between onset (initial consonant(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
  3. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they can be naturally divided.
  4. Stress-Timing Rule: English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable prominence.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/6/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.