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Hyphenation ofintercostohumeral

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

in-ter-cos-to-hu-mer-al

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

/ˌɪntərˌkɒstoʊhjuːˈmɛrəl/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0000100

Primary stress falls on the fifth syllable ('hu'), indicated by '1'. All other syllables are unstressed ('0').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

in/ɪn/

Closed syllable, begins the word.

ter/tər/

Closed syllable, contains a schwa.

cos/kɒs/

Closed syllable, vowel sound is /ɒ/.

to/toʊ/

Open syllable, vowel sound is /oʊ/.

hu/hjuː/

Open syllable, contains a glide /j/.

mer/mɛr/

Closed syllable, vowel sound is /ɛ/.

al/əl/

Closed syllable, contains a schwa, ends the word.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

inter-(prefix)
+
costo-(root)
+
humero-(suffix)

Prefix: inter-

Latin origin, meaning 'between' or 'among'.

Root: costo-

Latin origin, from 'costa' meaning 'rib'.

Suffix: humero-

Latin origin, from 'humerus' meaning 'shoulder'.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Relating to the space between the ribs and the shoulder.

Examples:

"The intercostohumeral nerve provides sensation to that region."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

interstatein-ter-state

Shares the 'inter-' prefix and similar syllable structure.

costumecos-tume

Shares the 'costo-' root and similar syllable structure.

humoroushu-mer-ous

Shares the 'humero-' root and similar syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant (VC)

Syllables generally end with a vowel sound.

Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC)

Common syllable structure, especially for closed syllables.

Glide Formation

The /j/ sound in 'hu' creates an open syllable.

Special Considerations

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

The word's length and complex morphology can lead to pronunciation variations.

The vowel in 'to' can be reduced to a schwa in rapid speech.

The pronunciation of 'h' in 'humeral' can vary.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'intercostohumeral' is a complex adjective of Latin origin, divided into seven syllables with primary stress on the fifth syllable ('hu'). Syllabification follows standard US English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns and glide formation. Its anatomical specificity limits synonyms and antonyms.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "intercostohumeral"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "intercostohumeral" is a complex, multi-morphemic term primarily used in anatomical contexts. Its pronunciation in US English is relatively consistent, though variations in vowel quality can occur.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: inter- (Latin, meaning "between" or "among") - functions to indicate position or relationship.
  • Root: costo- (Latin, from costa meaning "rib") - refers to the ribs.
  • Root: humero- (Latin, from humerus meaning "shoulder") - refers to the shoulder.
  • Suffix: -al (Latin, adjectival suffix) - forms an adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fifth syllable: in-ter-cos-to-hu-mer-al.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌɪntərˌkɒstoʊhjuːˈmɛrəl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence of vowels and consonant clusters presents a challenge. The 'h' in 'humeral' is often pronounced, but can be reduced in rapid speech. The 'to' in 'costo' can be a weak syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Intercostohumeral" functions almost exclusively as an adjective, describing something relating to the area between the ribs and the shoulder. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Relating to the space between the ribs and the shoulder.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: None readily available; it's a highly specific anatomical term.
  • Antonyms: None readily available.
  • Examples: "The intercostohumeral nerve provides sensation to that region."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "interstate": in-ter-state. Similar prefix inter-, but simpler syllable structure. Stress on the second syllable.
  • "costume": cos-tume. Shares the costo- root. Simpler syllable structure, stress on the first syllable.
  • "humorous": hu-mer-ous. Shares the humero- root. Simpler syllable structure, stress on the second syllable.

The complexity of "intercostohumeral" arises from the concatenation of multiple morphemes, creating longer consonant clusters and more vowel sequences than the comparison words.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
in /ɪn/ Closed syllable Vowel-Consonant (VC) rule. Syllables typically end in a vowel sound. None
ter /tər/ Closed syllable Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) rule. None
cos /kɒs/ Closed syllable CVC rule. None
to /toʊ/ Open syllable Vowel-Consonant (VC) rule. Can be reduced to /tə/ in rapid speech.
hu /hjuː/ Open syllable Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) rule, with glide. The 'h' can be dropped in some pronunciations.
mer /mɛr/ Closed syllable CVC rule. None
al /əl/ Closed syllable CVC rule. None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant (VC): Syllables generally end with a vowel sound.
  2. Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC): Common syllable structure.
  3. Glide Formation: The /j/ sound in "hu" creates an open syllable.

Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology make it prone to mispronunciation. The vowel sounds can vary slightly depending on regional accents.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in "to" to a schwa /tə/. The pronunciation of the 'h' in 'humeral' can also vary.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.