Hyphenation ofmicroexamination

Linguistic Analysis of "microexamination"

1. Pronunciation: The word "microexamination" is pronounced as /ˌmaɪ.kroʊ.ɪɡ.ˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ in US English.

2. Syllable Division: mi-cro-ex-am-i-na-tion

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: micro- (Greek mikros - small). Function: Denotes small size or scale.
• Root: exam (Latin examinare - to test, investigate). Function: Core meaning of testing or scrutiny.
• Suffix: -ination (Latin -inatio - forming nouns indicating action or result). Function: Noun-forming suffix.
• Interfix: -o- (connecting vowel, often used between prefixes and roots).

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the fifth syllable: na. Secondary stress falls on the first syllable: mi.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ˌmaɪ.kroʊ.ɪɡ.ˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

6. Edge Case Review: The combination of the prefix micro- and the root exam can sometimes lead to pronunciation variations, but the standard syllabification remains consistent.

7. Grammatical Role: "Microexamination" functions primarily as a noun. The syllabification and stress pattern remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A very detailed and close examination.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: close inspection, detailed analysis, scrutiny, investigation
• Antonyms: cursory glance, superficial review
• Examples: "The doctor ordered a microexamination of the tissue sample." "The detective conducted a microexamination of the crime scene."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Investigation: in-ves-ti-ga-tion (5 syllables) - Similar structure with a prefix, root, and suffix. Stress on the fourth syllable.
• Examination: ex-am-i-na-tion (5 syllables) - Shares the root and suffix. Stress on the fourth syllable.
• Microscope: mi-cro-scope (3 syllables) - Shares the prefix micro-. Stress on the first syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the length and complexity of the word. Longer words tend to have multiple stress points, while shorter words have a more prominent primary stress.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• mi /maɪ/ - Open syllable, stressed. Rule: Onset-rime structure. Exception: The vowel /aɪ/ is a diphthong.
• cro /kroʊ/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel. Exception: The vowel /oʊ/ is a diphthong.
• ex /ɪɡ/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Onset-rime structure. Exception: The vowel is reduced to /ɪ/.
• am /zæm/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Onset-rime structure. Exception: Vowel reduction.
• i /ɪ/ - Open syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel as the sole syllable constituent. Exception: Reduced vowel.
• na /neɪ/ - Closed syllable, stressed. Rule: Onset-rime structure. Exception: Diphthong.
• tion /ʃən/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel. Exception: The /ʃ/ sound is a sibilant.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Onset-Rime: Syllables are divided based on the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
2. Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
3. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often split, but attempts are made to keep sounds together that naturally belong.
4. Reduced Vowel Rule: Unstressed vowels are often reduced to schwa /ə/ or other reduced forms.

Special Considerations:

• The presence of the interfix -o- influences the syllabification between the prefix and root.
• Vowel reduction is common in unstressed syllables, affecting pronunciation but not necessarily syllabification.
• Regional variations in pronunciation might slightly alter the vowel sounds, but the core syllabification remains consistent.

Short Analysis:

"Microexamination" is a seven-syllable word with primary stress on the fifth syllable ("na") and secondary stress on the first syllable ("mi"). It's formed from the Greek prefix micro-, the Latin root exam, and the Latin suffix -ination. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel sounds and consonant clusters.