Hyphenation ofnoncontemporaries

Linguistic Analysis of "noncontemporaries"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "noncontemporaries" is a complex word with multiple morphemes and potential syllabic ambiguities. Its pronunciation in US English is approximately /ˌnɑn.kənˈtɛm.pəˌrɛr.iz/. The stress falls on the third syllable ("tem").

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: non-con-tem-po-rar-ies.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning "not"). Morphological function: negation.
• Root: temp- (Latin tempus, meaning "time"). Morphological function: core meaning related to time.
• Suffix: -con- (Latin com- meaning "with, together"). Morphological function: combining element.
• Suffix: -por- (Latin portare meaning "to carry"). Morphological function: forming a compound.
• Suffix: -ar- (Latin, adjectival suffix). Morphological function: forming an adjective.
• Suffix: -ies (English, pluralizing suffix). Morphological function: indicates plurality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: con-tem-po-rar-ies. This is due to the weight of the syllable (presence of a diphthong and multiple consonants) and the typical stress patterns in English words with Latinate roots.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑn.kənˈtɛm.pəˌrɛr.iz/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-rar-" presents a potential ambiguity. It could be syllabified as "ra-ries" or "rar-ies". However, the more common and phonologically plausible division is "rar-ies" as it maintains the integrity of the root and avoids creating an unusual syllable onset.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Noncontemporaries" functions exclusively as a noun (plural). Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: People who lived at different times; those not existing in the same era.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (plural)
• Synonyms: predecessors, successors, past generations, future generations
• Antonyms: contemporaries
• Examples: "The historian studied the lives of noncontemporaries to understand the evolution of thought."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Contemporary: con-tem-po-ra-ry (similar syllable structure, stress on "tem").
• Nonconformity: non-con-for-mi-ty (similar prefix and syllable structure, stress on "for").
• Temporarily: tem-po-rar-i-ly (shares the "temp" root and "-rar-" sequence, stress on "po").

The differences in syllable division arise primarily from the addition of prefixes and suffixes, and the resulting changes in syllable weight and stress patterns. "Noncontemporaries" has a more complex suffix structure, leading to a longer word and more syllables.

10. Division Rules:

• Vowel Rule: Syllables are typically built around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound generally forms the nucleus of a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often split according to sonority (ease of articulation).
• Affixation Rule: Prefixes and suffixes generally form separate syllables.
• Weight Principle: Heavier syllables (those with more complex structures or longer vowel durations) tend to attract stress.

11. Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology make it prone to mis-syllabification. The "-rar-" sequence is a potential point of error. Regional variations in pronunciation might influence syllable boundaries, but the core division remains consistent.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might reduce the vowel in the first syllable to /nən/, affecting the syllable boundary slightly. However, the overall syllabification remains largely unchanged.