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Hyphenation ofmicroelectrophoretic

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

mi-cro-e-lec-tro-pho-re-tic

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

/ˌmaɪkroʊˌɛlɛktroʊfəˈrɛtɪk/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

01000101

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('re' in 'pho-re-tic').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

mi/maɪ/

Open syllable, vowel sound

cro/kroʊ/

Open syllable, diphthong

e/ɛ/

Open syllable, short vowel

lec/lɛk/

Closed syllable, short vowel

tro/troʊ/

Open syllable, diphthong

pho/foʊ/

Open syllable, diphthong

re/rɛ/

Open syllable, short vowel

tic/tɪk/

Closed syllable, short vowel

Morphemic Breakdown

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

micro-(prefix)
+
electrophoresis(root)
+
-ic(suffix)

Prefix: micro-

Greek origin, meaning 'small', size modifier

Root: electrophoresis

Greek origin, process of separating charged particles in a fluid

Suffix: -ic

Greek origin, adjectival suffix

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Relating to or using a technique in which charged particles are separated by their movement in an electric field, especially in a colloidal suspension.

Examples:

"The microelectrophoretic analysis revealed the presence of different protein isoforms."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photographicpho-to-graph-ic

Similar initial 'pho-' structure and adjectival suffix.

biochemicalbio-chem-i-cal

Shares the '-ic' suffix and a similar multi-syllabic structure.

macroeconomicmac-ro-e-co-nom-ic

Similar prefix structure ('macro-') and suffix ('-ic').

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-CVC

A vowel followed by a consonant and another vowel typically forms a syllable boundary.

CVC

A consonant-vowel-consonant sequence often forms a closed syllable.

Vowel-C

A vowel followed by a consonant often forms a syllable boundary.

Special Considerations

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

The 'ph' digraph is treated as a single phoneme.

Schwa reduction may occur in unstressed syllables.

The word's complexity arises from its Greek and English morphemic components.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'microelectrophoretic' is an eight-syllable adjective derived from Greek and English roots. Stress falls on the penultimate syllable. Syllabification follows standard US English rules, considering vowel-consonant patterns and digraphs like 'ph'.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "microelectrophoretic"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

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

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: mi-cro-e-lec-tro-pho-re-tic.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: micro- (Greek, meaning "small") - functions as a size modifier.
  • Root: electrophoresis (Greek elektron "amber" + phoros "carrying" + sis "process") - refers to the movement of charged particles in a fluid under the influence of an electric field.
  • Suffix: -ic (Greek, adjectival suffix) - forms an adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: /ˌmaɪkroʊˌɛlɛktroʊfəˈrɛtɪk/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌmaɪkroʊˌɛlɛktroʊfəˈrɛtɪk/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-ph-" can sometimes pose a challenge, but in this case, it's treated as a single unit within the syllable "pho-". The "e" before "lec" is a schwa and contributes to the syllable division.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Microelectrophoretic" primarily functions as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Relating to or using a technique in which charged particles are separated by their movement in an electric field, especially in a colloidal suspension.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: electrophoretic, electrokinetic
  • Antonyms: None directly applicable.
  • Examples: "The microelectrophoretic analysis revealed the presence of different protein isoforms."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Photographic: pho-to-graph-ic. Similar initial "pho-" structure. Stress falls on the second syllable in both.
  • Biochemical: bio-chem-i-cal. Shares the "-ic" suffix and a similar multi-syllabic structure. Stress pattern differs.
  • Macroeconomic: mac-ro-e-co-nom-ic. Similar prefix structure ("macro-") and suffix ("-ic"). Stress pattern differs.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
mi /maɪ/ Open syllable, vowel sound Vowel-CVC rule (vowel followed by consonant) None
cro /kroʊ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel-CVC rule None
e /ɛ/ Open syllable, short vowel Vowel-C rule Schwa reduction possible in unstressed positions
lec /lɛk/ Closed syllable, short vowel CVC rule (consonant-vowel-consonant) None
tro /troʊ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel-CVC rule None
pho /foʊ/ Open syllable, diphthong Vowel-CVC rule "ph" treated as a single phoneme
re /rɛ/ Open syllable, short vowel Vowel-C rule None
tic /tɪk/ Closed syllable, short vowel CVC rule None

Word-Level Exceptions/Special Cases:

The combination of Greek prefixes and English suffixes creates a complex word structure. The vowel sounds are relatively straightforward, but the length of the word and the number of syllables require careful application of syllabification rules.

Multi-Part-of-Speech Considerations:

As primarily an adjective, the syllabification remains consistent. If hypothetically used as a noun (though rare), the stress pattern would likely remain unchanged.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might exhibit slight differences in vowel quality (e.g., /ɛ/ vs. /ɪ/ in "e"). However, the core syllable division remains consistent.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/5/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.