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Hyphenation ofincombustibleness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

in-com-bus-ti-ble-ness

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

/ɪnˌkɒmˈbʌstɪbl̩nəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0 0 0 1 0 0

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable (/ti/). Secondary stress may occur on the first syllable (/in/).

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

in/ɪn/

Closed syllable, onset consonant cluster.

com/kɒm/

Closed syllable, onset consonant.

bus/bʌs/

Closed syllable, onset consonant.

ti/tɪ/

Closed syllable, onset consonant.

ble/bl̩/

Syllabic consonant, closed syllable.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, onset consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

in-(prefix)
+
combust(root)
+
ible-ness(suffix)

Prefix: in-

Latin origin, negation.

Root: combust

Latin origin, relating to burning.

Suffix: ible-ness

Latin and Old English origins, forming an abstract noun denoting capability.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The quality or state of being incapable of being burned.

Examples:

"The incombustibleness of the material made it ideal for use in the building's construction."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

improbabilityim-prob-a-bil-i-ty

Similar structure with prefixes and suffixes.

incompatibilityin-com-pat-i-bil-i-ty

Shares the 'in-' prefix and '-ibility' suffix.

combustibilitycom-bus-ti-bil-i-ty

Shares the root 'combust-' and '-ibility' suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Onsets

Consonant clusters are kept together at the beginning of syllables.

Avoid Stranded Consonants

Consonants are not left at the end of a syllable without a following vowel.

Syllabic Consonants

/l/ can function as a vowel in unstressed syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The syllabic /l/ in 'ble' is an exception to standard vowel requirements.

The length of the word and multiple suffixes contribute to its complexity.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'incombustibleness' is divided into six syllables: in-com-bus-ti-ble-ness. The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable. It is a noun formed from a Latin root with English suffixes, and features a syllabic consonant in the 'ble' syllable.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "incombustibleness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "incombustibleness" is a complex noun, relatively uncommon in everyday speech. Its pronunciation follows standard English (US) phonological rules, with a tendency towards stress on the fourth syllable.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) and avoiding stranded consonants, is as follows: in-com-bus-ti-ble-ness.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: in- (Latin, meaning "not") - Negation.
  • Root: combust- (Latin, combustus - past participle of combure "to burn") - Relating to burning.
  • Suffix: -ible (Latin, -ibilis) - Adjective suffix meaning "capable of being".
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English, -nes) - Noun suffix forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: in-com-bus-ti-ble-ness. Secondary stress may occur on the first syllable: in-com-bus-ti-ble-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɪnˌkɒmˈbʌstɪbl̩nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence /bl̩/ represents a syllabic consonant, a common feature in English where /l/ functions as a vowel in unstressed syllables. This is a typical edge case in English syllabification.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Incombustibleness" functions solely as a noun. As such, the syllabification and stress pattern remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The quality or state of being incapable of being burned.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: non-combustibility, fireproofness, ininflammability
  • Antonyms: combustibility, flammability
  • Examples: "The incombustibleness of the material made it ideal for use in the building's construction."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Improbability: im-prob-a-bil-i-ty (5 syllables) - Similar structure with prefixes and suffixes, stress on the third syllable.
  • Incompatibility: in-com-pat-i-bil-i-ty (6 syllables) - Shares the in- and -ibility suffixes, stress on the third syllable.
  • Combustibility: com-bus-ti-bil-i-ty (5 syllables) - Shares the root combust- and -ibility suffix, stress on the second syllable.

The differences in syllable count and stress placement are due to the addition of the prefix in- in "incombustibleness" and the varying lengths of the initial consonant clusters.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
in /ɪn/ Closed syllable, onset consonant cluster. Maximizing Onsets None
com /kɒm/ Closed syllable, onset consonant. Vowel surrounded by consonants None
bus /bʌs/ Closed syllable, onset consonant. Vowel surrounded by consonants None
ti /tɪ/ Closed syllable, onset consonant. Vowel surrounded by consonants None
ble /bl̩/ Syllabic consonant, closed syllable. Syllable structure with /l/ acting as a vowel. Syllabic /l/ is an exception to standard vowel requirements.
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable, onset consonant. Vowel surrounded by consonants None

Exceptions/Special Cases for the Word as a Whole:

The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is the primary exception. The length of the word and the multiple suffixes contribute to its complexity.

Differences in Syllabification based on Part of Speech:

As "incombustibleness" is exclusively a noun, there are no variations in syllabification based on grammatical function.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in the first syllable to /ən/, resulting in /ənˌkɒmˈbʌstɪbl̩nəs/. This variation would not significantly alter the syllable division.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Maximize Onsets: Consonant clusters are generally kept together at the beginning of syllables.
  2. Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left at the end of a syllable without a following vowel.
  3. Syllabic Consonants: /l/ can function as a vowel in unstressed syllables.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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