HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofmuttonheadedness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

mut-ton-head-ed-ness

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

/ˌmʌtənˈhɛdɪdnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

01001

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('head'). The first and fourth syllables are unstressed, and the fifth syllable receives secondary stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

mut/mʌt/

Open syllable, onset 'm', vowel 'ʌ', coda 't'

ton/tən/

Open syllable, onset 't', vowel 'ə', coda 'n'

head/hɛd/

Open syllable, onset 'h', vowel 'ɛ', coda 'd'

ed/ɪd/

Closed syllable, onset 'd', vowel 'ɪ', coda 'd'

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, onset 'n', vowel 'ə', coda 's'

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
mutton(root)
+
headedness(suffix)

Prefix:

None

Root: mutton

Old English, referring to the animal; used metaphorically to mean foolish

Suffix: headedness

Combination of -headed (Old English, forming an adjective) and -ness (Old English, forming a noun)

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Foolishness; stupidity; lack of good sense.

Examples:

"His muttonheadedness led to a disastrous decision."

"The project failed due to sheer muttonheadedness."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

butterfingerednessbut-ter-fin-gered-ness

Similar structure with a compound adjective + -ness.

woodenheadednesswood-en-head-ed-ness

Similar structure with a compound adjective + -ness.

ironwillednessi-ron-willed-ness

Similar structure with a compound adjective + -ness.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (VCC) Rule

Syllables are often divided before the second consonant in a VCC pattern (e.g., 'mut-ton').

Consonant Cluster Separation

Consonant clusters are broken to avoid creating illegal syllable codas.

Stress-Timing

English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable duration and prominence.

Special Considerations

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

The word is relatively uncommon, so regional variations are less documented. The proposed division aligns with standard US English phonological rules.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'muttonheadedness' is divided into five syllables: mut-ton-head-ed-ness. It consists of the root 'mutton', the adjective-forming suffix '-headed', and the noun-forming suffix '-ness'. Primary stress falls on the 'head' syllable. Syllabification follows standard US English rules regarding VCC patterns and consonant cluster separation.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "muttonheadedness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "muttonheadedness" is pronounced /ˌmʌtənˈhɛdɪdnəs/ in US English. It's a relatively complex word with multiple morphemes and potential syllabification challenges due to consonant clusters.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: None
  • Root: mutton (Old English, referring to the animal; functions as an adjective here, meaning foolish or stupid)
  • Suffix: -headed (Old English, forming an adjective meaning "having the characteristics of a head," metaphorically meaning foolish)
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English, forming a noun denoting a state or quality)

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ˌmʌtənˈhɛdɪdnəs/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌmʌtənˈhɛdɪdnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "-dn-" in "headedness" could potentially lead to alternative syllabifications, but the dominant pattern favors separating the vowel.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Muttonheadedness" functions solely as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Foolishness; stupidity; lack of good sense.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: Stupidity, silliness, folly, absurdity
  • Antonyms: Intelligence, wisdom, sense, rationality
  • Examples: "His muttonheadedness led to a disastrous decision." "The project failed due to sheer muttonheadedness."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "butterfingeredness": but-ter-fin-gered-ness. Similar structure with a compound adjective + -ness. Stress falls on "fin".
  • "woodenheadedness": wood-en-head-ed-ness. Similar structure, stress on "head".
  • "ironwilledness": i-ron-willed-ness. Similar structure, stress on "willed".

The syllable division in "muttonheadedness" follows the same pattern as these words: consonant clusters are generally broken after the onset or before the coda, and stress falls on the root of the adjective portion.

10. Division Rules:

  • Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (VCC) Rule: Syllables are often divided before the second consonant in a VCC pattern (e.g., "mut-ton").
  • Consonant Cluster Separation: Consonant clusters are broken to avoid creating illegal syllable codas.
  • Stress-Timing: English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable duration and prominence.

11. Special Considerations:

The word is relatively uncommon, so regional variations in pronunciation and syllabification are less documented. However, the proposed division aligns with standard US English phonological rules.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/12/2025

The hottest word splits in English (US)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

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.