Hyphenation ofnoncommunicativeness

Linguistic Analysis of "noncommunicativeness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "noncommunicativeness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively straightforward application of English phonological rules, though the length and number of syllables present challenges.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin, meaning "not") - Negation.
• Root: communicat- (Latin communicare, meaning "to share, impart") - The core meaning of conveying information.
• Suffix: -ive (Latin, adjectival suffix, meaning "tending to, relating to") - Forms an adjective.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes, from *-nessu) - Forms a noun denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: non-com-mu-ni-ca-tive-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑn.kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪ.tɪv.nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-ive-ness" is relatively common and doesn't present a significant edge case. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is standard.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Noncommunicativeness" functions primarily as a noun. While theoretically, one could attempt to use it attributively (e.g., "noncommunicativeness behavior"), this is rare and wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of not being communicative; a lack of willingness or ability to express oneself or to share information.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: taciturnity, reticence, uncommunicativeness, reserve.
• Antonyms: communicativeness, loquacity, talkativeness.
• Examples: "His noncommunicativeness made it difficult to understand his feelings." "The patient's noncommunicativeness was a concern for the doctors."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty - Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• Understandability: un-der-stand-a-bil-i-ty - Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• Impossibility: im-pos-si-bil-i-ty - Similar suffix structure. Stress falls on the third syllable.

The key difference is the length and complexity of the root. "Communicat-" is longer than "understand-" or "impos-", leading to more syllables. The placement of stress is also influenced by the length of the root and the presence of multiple suffixes.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-CVC Rule: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound typically forms a syllable.
2. CVC Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant patterns often form closed syllables.
3. Diphthong Rule: Diphthongs (two vowel sounds combined) usually remain within the same syllable.

Special Considerations:

The length of the word and the multiple suffixes require careful application of the vowel-centric syllabification rule. The presence of the diphthong /eɪ/ in "ca" is a standard feature of English pronunciation.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "non" to /nən/. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification.

Short Analysis:

"Noncommunicativeness" is a noun formed from the prefix "non-", the root "communicat-", and the suffixes "-ive" and "-ness". It is divided into seven syllables: non-com-mu-ni-ca-tive-ness, with primary stress on the fourth syllable. Syllabification follows standard English vowel-centric rules, with closed and open syllables formed around vowel sounds.