Hyphenation ofnoncontemptibleness

Linguistic Analysis of "noncontemptibleness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "noncontemptibleness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a series of consonant clusters and vowel sounds that require careful syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

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

non-con-temp-ti-ble-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin origin) - negates the meaning of the root. Morphological function: negation.
• Root: contempt (Latin contemptus - past participle of contemnere 'to despise') - the core meaning of the word. Morphological function: base meaning.
• Suffix: -ible (Latin -bilis) - forms an adjective meaning "capable of." Morphological function: adjective formation.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes) - forms a noun denoting a state or quality. Morphological function: noun formation.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: ti.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑn.kənˈtɛm.tɪ.bl̩.nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The presence of consonant clusters (e.g., nt, mpl, bl) requires careful consideration of syllable onset and coda structures. The syllabic consonant /bl̩/ in "ble" is a potential edge case, but is common in US English.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word primarily functions as a noun. While theoretically, a word like this could be adjectival in a highly unusual context, its primary grammatical role doesn't significantly alter the syllabification or stress pattern.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state or quality of not being contemptible; deserving of respect or consideration, though perhaps not admiration.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: respectability, dignity, worthiness, estimability
• Antonyms: contemptibility, despicableness, worthlessness
• Example Usage: "Despite his flaws, he possessed a certain noncontemptibleness that earned him the respect of his peers."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Impossibility: im-pos-si-bil-i-ty (5 syllables, stress on si) - Similar suffix -ibility but different prefix and root.
• Unpredictability: un-pre-dic-ta-bil-i-ty (6 syllables, stress on dic) - Similar suffix -ibility but different prefix and root.
• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty (5 syllables, stress on pon) - Similar suffix -ibility but different prefix and root.

The syllable structure in "noncontemptibleness" is more complex due to the initial non- prefix and the longer root contempt. The other words have simpler prefixes and roots, resulting in fewer syllables and different stress patterns. The shared -ibility suffix maintains a consistent syllable structure in the latter part of each word.

10. Division Rules:

• Rule 1: Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (VCC): When a vowel is followed by two consonants, the syllable break usually occurs between the vowel and the first consonant (e.g., con-temp).
• Rule 2: Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation (e.g., non- remains intact).
• Rule 3: Prefix/Suffix Separation: Prefixes and suffixes are typically separated into distinct syllables (e.g., non-, -ness).
• Rule 4: Schwa Reduction: Unstressed vowels often reduce to schwa /ə/, influencing syllable boundaries.

11. Special Considerations:

The word's length and complexity make it prone to mispronunciation and varying syllabification attempts. The syllabic consonant /bl̩/ is a potential point of variation, but is accepted in standard US English.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel sounds in unstressed syllables, potentially affecting the perceived syllable boundaries. However, the core syllabification remains consistent.

13. Syllable Analysis:

• non: /nɑn/ - Open syllable, unstressed.
• con: /kən/ - Open syllable, unstressed.
• temp: /tɛm/ - Closed syllable, unstressed.
• ti: /tɪ/ - Closed syllable, stressed.
• ble: /bl̩/ - Closed syllable, unstressed, contains a syllabic consonant.
• ness: /nəs/ - Open syllable, unstressed.