Hyphenation ofjustice-slighting

Linguistic Analysis of "justice-slighting"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "justice-slighting" is a compound word formed by combining "justice" and "slighting." Its pronunciation in US English involves a blend of the pronunciations of its constituent parts. The 't' in 'justice' is often flapped when followed by a vowel, and the stress pattern is complex due to the compound nature.

2. Syllable Division:

jus-tice-slight-ing

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: None
• Root: just (Latin iustitia - fairness, rightness) - denoting fairness or righteousness.
• Suffix: -ice (Latin -itia) - forms a noun denoting a state or quality.
• Root: slight (Old English sliht - injury, offense) - denoting a minor insult or disrespect.
• Suffix: -ing (Old English -ing) - progressive aspect marker, or forming a gerund/present participle.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable of "justice" and the second syllable of "slighting". Thus, the stress pattern is: jus-tice-slight-ing.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈdʒʌstɪs slaɪtɪŋ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word presents a slight edge case. While each component has a relatively standard syllabification, the combination requires careful consideration of stress and potential vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.

7. Grammatical Role:

"justice-slighting" functions primarily as an adjective. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Characterized by or involving a slight offense to justice; tending to diminish or undermine fairness.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: unjust, unfair, inequitable, wrongful
• Antonyms: just, fair, equitable, rightful
• Examples: "The justice-slighting decision angered many citizens." "His justice-slighting remarks were deeply offensive."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "understanding": un-der-stand-ing. Similar syllable structure, with a compound-like feel. Stress on the second syllable of the root.
• "disagreeing": dis-a-gree-ing. Similar suffix "-ing" and stress pattern.
• "interesting": in-ter-est-ing. Similar suffix "-ing" and stress pattern.

The key difference lies in the length and complexity of the root "justice-slighting" compared to the others. The presence of the 't' in 'justice' also introduces a potential for flapping, which doesn't occur in the other examples.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• jus: /dʒʌs/ - Open syllable, unstressed. Rule: Onset-Rime division. Potential exception: vowel reduction in rapid speech.
• tice: /ˈtɪs/ - Closed syllable, stressed. Rule: Onset-Rime division. Exception: The 't' can be flapped in connected speech.
• slight: /slaɪt/ - Open syllable, unstressed. Rule: Onset-Rime division.
• ing: /ɪŋ/ - Closed syllable, stressed. Rule: Onset-Rime division. Exception: The 'ng' is a complex coda.

Division Rules Applied:

• Onset-Rime: The primary rule used, dividing syllables based on the consonant onset and vowel-containing rime.
• Stress Assignment: Stress is assigned based on the inherent stress patterns of the root words and the compound structure.

Special Considerations:

• The flappable 't' in "justice" is a common phonetic feature in US English.
• The compound nature of the word requires considering the stress patterns of both constituent parts.
• Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is possible, particularly in rapid speech.