HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofnoncontumaciousness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

non-con-tu-ma-cious-ness

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

/ˌnɑn.kɑn.təˈmeɪ.ʃəs.nəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000010

Primary stress falls on the 'cious' syllable, making it the most prominent syllable in the word.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

non/nɑn/

Open syllable, weak stress.

con/kɑn/

Open syllable, weak stress.

tu/tə/

Open syllable, weak stress.

ma/meɪ/

Open syllable, weak stress.

cious/ʃəs/

Closed syllable, primary stress.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, weak stress.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

non-(prefix)
+
contumacious(root)
+
-ness(suffix)

Prefix: non-

Latin origin, negation

Root: contumacious

Latin origin, meaning stubbornly disobedient

Suffix: -ness

Old English origin, nominalization

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of being stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority.

Examples:

"His noncontumaciousness was a relief to the teachers, as he always followed the rules."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

ambidextrousnessam-bi-dex-trous-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and similar syllable structure.

tenaciousnesste-na-cious-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and a similar root structure with the '-cious' ending.

unctuousnessun-ctu-ous-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and a prefix similar to 'non-'

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Digraph Rule

Digraphs like 'ci' are treated as a single sound unit and remain within the same syllable.

Stress-Timing Rule

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

Special Considerations

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

The length and complexity of the word.

The relatively uncommon root 'contumacious'.

The 'cious' ending is a common area for mis-syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'noncontumaciousness' is divided into six syllables: non-con-tu-ma-cious-ness. It consists of the prefix 'non-', the root 'contumacious', and the suffix '-ness'. Primary stress falls on the 'cious' syllable. Syllable division follows standard English vowel-consonant and digraph rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "noncontumaciousness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "noncontumaciousness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes and a relatively uncommon root. Its pronunciation in US English follows standard English phonological rules, with stress falling on a later syllable.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): non-con-tu-ma-cious-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: non- (Latin origin) - negates the meaning of the root. Morphological function: negation.
  • Root: contumacious (Latin contumax - "stubborn, insolent") - meaning stubbornly or willfully disobedient. Morphological function: core meaning.
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes) - forms a noun denoting a state or quality. Morphological function: nominalization.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the cious syllable. The stress pattern is tertiary, meaning the stress is relatively weak compared to words with earlier stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑn.kɑn.təˈmeɪ.ʃəs.nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-cious" is a common but potentially tricky area. It's generally treated as a single syllable due to the digraph 'ci' functioning as a single sound /ʃ/. The 'tu' sequence is also a potential point of division, but is generally kept together.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a noun. There are no significant syllabification or stress shifts if it were to hypothetically function as another part of speech (which it doesn't).

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of being stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: obstinacy, rebelliousness, defiance, perverseness
  • Antonyms: obedience, compliance, deference, submission
  • Example Usage: "His noncontumaciousness was a relief to the teachers, as he always followed the rules."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • ambidextrousness: am-bi-dex-trous-ness - Similar suffix -ness. Stress falls on trous. Syllable structure is comparable, though shorter.
  • tenaciousness: te-na-cious-ness - Similar suffix -ness and root structure. Stress falls on cious. Demonstrates the common stress pattern with -cious suffixes.
  • unctuousness: un-ctu-ous-ness - Similar prefix un- and suffix -ness. Stress falls on tu. Shows how prefixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
non /nɑn/ Open syllable, weak stress Vowel followed by consonant None
con /kɑn/ Open syllable, weak stress Vowel followed by consonant None
tu /tə/ Open syllable, weak stress Vowel preceded by consonant None
ma /meɪ/ Open syllable, weak stress Diphthong followed by consonant None
cious /ʃəs/ Closed syllable, primary stress Digraph 'ci' as /ʃ/, stress on this syllable The 'ci' digraph requires recognition as a single sound.
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable, weak stress Consonant cluster followed by schwa None

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel-Consonant (VC) Division: Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., non-, con-, tu-).
  • Digraph Rule: Digraphs like 'ci' are treated as a single sound unit and remain within the same syllable (cious).
  • Stress-Timing Rule: English is a stress-timed language, influencing syllable prominence and duration.

12. Special Considerations:

The length and complexity of the word, combined with its relatively uncommon root, make it prone to mis-syllabification. The 'cious' ending is a common area for error.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents the most common US English pronunciation, slight variations in vowel quality (e.g., /ɑ/ vs. /æ/ in "non") may occur depending on regional accents. These variations would not significantly alter the syllable division.

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

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.