Hyphenation ofnonextensibility

Linguistic Analysis of "nonextensibility"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "nonextensibility" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a combination of vowel sounds, consonant clusters, and stress patterns.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): non-ex-ten-si-bil-i-ty.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning "not"). Morphological function: negation.
• Root: extend (Latin extendere, meaning "to stretch out"). Morphological function: core meaning of the word.
• Suffixes:
  • -ibility (Latin -ibilitas, from ibilis "able"). Morphological function: forms a noun denoting the quality of being able to be extended.
  • -ity (Latin -itas). Morphological function: nominalization.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: non-ex-ten-si-bil-i-ty.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑnɛkstɛnˈsɪbɪlɪti/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "-xten-" is a relatively uncommon sequence in English, but it is permissible and follows established phonotactic constraints. The presence of multiple suffixes also adds complexity, but the syllabification follows standard rules for suffix attachment.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Nonextensibility" functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress based on different grammatical roles.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being unable to be extended; the inability to be stretched or expanded.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: inflexibility, rigidity, unstretchability
• Antonyms: extensibility, flexibility, plasticity
• Example Usage: "The nonextensibility of the material made it unsuitable for use in clothing."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Inflexibility: in-flex-i-bil-i-ty. Similar syllable structure, stress on the fourth syllable.
• Immutability: im-mu-ta-bil-i-ty. Similar syllable structure, stress on the fourth syllable.
• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Similar syllable structure, stress on the fourth syllable.

The consistent stress pattern on the fourth syllable in these words highlights the common stress placement in words ending in "-ibility" or "-ility". The differences in initial consonant clusters (non-, in-, im-, re-) do not affect the core syllabification pattern.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-C Rule: Syllables are often formed around vowel sounds, with any following consonants belonging to that syllable.
2. Vowel-C-C Rule: When a vowel is followed by two consonants, the syllable break typically occurs between the consonants.
3. Consonant Cluster Rule: Permissible consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable.
4. Open Syllable Rule: Syllables ending in a vowel sound are considered open syllables.

Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology require careful application of syllabification rules. The "-xten-" cluster is a potential point of ambiguity, but it is resolved by applying the Vowel-C-C rule.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents the most common US English pronunciation, slight variations may occur based on regional accents. For example, some speakers might reduce the vowel in "non" to /nən/. This would not significantly alter the syllable division.