Hyphenation ofirresponsibleness

Linguistic Analysis of "irresponsibleness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "irresponsibleness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively standard vowel and consonant articulation, though the length and stress patterns are crucial for accurate syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): ir-re-spon-si-ble-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: ir- (Old English, negative prefix, meaning "not")
• Root: respons- (Latin responsum – a response, meaning "answerable, liable")
• Suffix: -ible (Latin -bilis, adjectival suffix meaning "capable of being")
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes, nominalizing suffix, forming nouns denoting a state or quality)

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: ir-re-spon-si-ble-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌɪrɪˌspɑnsəˈblɪnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-spon-" can sometimes be a point of ambiguity, but the presence of the following "-si-" clearly dictates the division. The "-ble" and "-ness" suffixes are relatively straightforward.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Irresponsibleness" functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress if it were to function as another part of speech, as it is a derived noun.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being irresponsible.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: recklessness, carelessness, improvidence, unreliability
• Antonyms: responsibility, prudence, dependability
• Examples: "His irresponsibleness led to the project's failure." "She showed a shocking degree of irresponsibleness."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Similar structure, stress on the third syllable. The addition of "-ness" in "irresponsibleness" shifts the stress slightly.
• Sensibleness: sen-si-ble-ness. Similar suffix "-ness", stress on the third syllable. The initial consonant cluster differs, affecting the first syllable.
• Possibleness: pos-si-ble-ness. Again, the "-ness" suffix is present, and stress falls on the third syllable. The initial consonant cluster differs.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-R Rule: Syllables are often divided before a vowel followed by 'r' (ir, re).
2. Vowel-Consonant Rule: Syllables are typically divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (re-spon, si-ble).
3. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation (spon, ble, ness).

Special Considerations:

The word's length and multiple suffixes require careful application of the rules to avoid incorrect divisions. The stress pattern is crucial for determining the natural groupings of sounds.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents the most common US English pronunciation, slight variations in vowel quality or stress intensity may occur depending on regional accents. These variations would not significantly alter the syllable division.