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Hyphenation ofnarrow-shouldred

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

nar-row-shoul-der-ed

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

/ˈnær.oʊ ʃoʊld.ərd/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

10100

Primary stress falls on the first syllable of 'narrow' and the second syllable of 'shouldered'.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

nar/nɑr/

Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant.

row/roʊ/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant.

shoul/ʃoʊl/

Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant.

der/dər/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant.

ed/ərd/

Weak syllable, schwa vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

narrow(prefix)
+
shoulder(root)
+
ed(suffix)

Prefix: narrow

Old English origin, adjective modifier.

Root: shoulder

Old English origin, noun base.

Suffix: ed

Old English origin, adjectival suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Having narrow shoulders.

Examples:

"The narrow-shouldred man struggled to fit through the doorway."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

narrow-mindednar-row-mind-ed

Similar compound adjective structure and stress pattern.

broad-shoulderedbroad-shoul-dered

Similar compound adjective structure and stress pattern.

long-sleevedlong-sleeved

Similar compound adjective structure and stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Coda Rule

Syllables generally end in a vowel sound.

Consonant-Coda Rule

Syllables can end in consonants.

Suffix Rule

Suffixes often form separate syllables.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable.

Special Considerations

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

Compound word structure requires careful morpheme boundary consideration.

The '-ed' suffix can sometimes be ambiguous in syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'narrow-shouldred' is a compound adjective with five syllables: nar-row-shoul-der-ed. Primary stress falls on 'nar' and 'shoul'. It's formed from the prefix 'narrow', the root 'shoulder', and the suffix '-ed'. Syllabification follows standard English vowel-coda and consonant-coda rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "narrow-shouldred"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "narrow-shouldred" presents a challenge due to its compound nature and the presence of a relatively uncommon suffix. The pronunciation in US English is approximately /ˈnær.oʊ ʃoʊld.ərd/.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: narrow- (Old English neah + wræw - meaning 'close, constricted' + 'edge, corner'). Function: Adjective modifier.
  • Root: shoulder- (Old English sculdor - meaning 'shoulder'). Function: Noun base.
  • Suffix: -ed (Old English -ed). Function: Adjectival suffix, forming a past participle used attributively. Indicates a characteristic or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the first syllable of "narrow" and the second syllable of "shouldred".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈnær.oʊ ʃoʊld.ərd/

6. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of the word and the relatively infrequent "-ed" suffix require careful consideration. The "r" following the vowel in "narrow" can sometimes cause syllabification issues, but in this case, it remains within the first syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Narrow-shouldred" functions primarily as an adjective. There is no significant shift in syllabification or stress if it were hypothetically used as part of a compound noun (though this is rare).

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Having narrow shoulders.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: Sloping-shouldered, thin-shouldered
  • Antonyms: Broad-shouldred, wide-shouldered
  • Examples: "The narrow-shouldred man struggled to fit through the doorway."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • narrow-minded: nar-row-mind-ed. Similar syllable structure, stress on the first syllable of the first word.
  • broad-shouldered: broad-shoul-dered. Similar structure, stress on the first syllable of the first word.
  • long-sleeved: long-sleeved. Similar structure, stress on the first syllable of the first word.

The consistent stress pattern on the first element of the compound adjective demonstrates a common English pattern. The "-ed" suffix consistently forms a separate syllable.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
nar /nɑr/ Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant. Vowel-Coda Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel sound.
row /roʊ/ Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable. The diphthong /oʊ/ can sometimes be simplified in rapid speech.
shoul /ʃoʊl/ Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant. Vowel-Coda Rule.
der /dər/ Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant. Consonant-Coda Rule: Syllables can end in consonants. The "r" is a rhotic consonant, common in US English.
ed /ərd/ Weak syllable, schwa vowel. Suffix Rule: Suffixes often form separate syllables. The vowel reduction to schwa is typical in unstressed syllables.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Coda Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel sound.
  2. Consonant-Coda Rule: Syllables can end in consonants.
  3. Suffix Rule: Suffixes often form separate syllables.
  4. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable.

Special Considerations:

The compound nature of the word requires careful consideration of morpheme boundaries. The "-ed" suffix, while common, can sometimes be ambiguous in syllabification.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might slightly alter the vowel sounds (e.g., /æ/ instead of /ɑ/ in "narrow"), but the syllable division would remain largely consistent.

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

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.