Hyphenation ofnondenominational

Linguistic Analysis of "nondenominational"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "nondenominational" is pronounced /ˌnɑːnˌdɛnəˈmeɪʃənəl/ in General American English. It presents challenges due to its length and multiple morphemes.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin, meaning "not") - Negation.
• Root: denomination (Latin denominatio from denominare "to name") - The act of naming or designating; a class or category.
• Suffix: -al (Latin, adjectival suffix) - Forms an adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third-to-last syllable: /ˌnɑːnˌdɛnəˈmeɪʃənəl/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑːnˌdɛnəˈmeɪʃənəl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-den-" can sometimes be a point of ambiguity, but the presence of the following "-omin-" clearly establishes the root denomination. The schwa sound in the unstressed syllables is typical of English.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Nondenominational" primarily functions as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Not relating to or restricted to any particular religious denomination.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: interdenominational, ecumenical, nonsectarian
• Antonyms: denominational, sectarian
• Examples: "The church is nondenominational, welcoming members from all faiths."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• International: in-ter-na-tion-al (5 syllables) - Similar suffix -al, stress pattern differs.
• Organizational: or-ga-ni-za-tion-al (6 syllables) - Similar suffix -al, longer root.
• Denominational: de-nom-i-na-tion-al (6 syllables) - The root is the same, but the addition of the prefix "non-" alters the syllable count and stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Division Rules Applied:

1. VCV Pattern: When a word has a vowel-consonant-vowel pattern, it is typically divided between the vowels (e.g., "non-").
2. CVC Pattern: Consonant-vowel-consonant patterns are usually divided after the vowel (e.g., "den-").
3. Vowel Alone: A single vowel constitutes a syllable (e.g., "o-").
4. Diphthong Rule: Diphthongs (two vowels blended together) form a single syllable (e.g., "mi-").
5. Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation.

Special Considerations:

The prefix "non-" is consistently treated as a separate syllable. The schwa sound /ə/ is common in unstressed syllables and can sometimes lead to ambiguity, but the overall structure of the word guides the division.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel sounds in unstressed syllables, but the core syllabification remains consistent.