Hyphenation ofnoninfallibleness

Linguistic Analysis of "noninfallibleness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "noninfallibleness" is a complex noun formed through multiple affixations. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively straightforward application of English phonological rules, though the length and complexity can lead to variations in stress and vowel reduction.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): non-in-fal-li-ble-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning "not"). Morphological function: negation.
• Root: fall- (Latin fallere, meaning "to deceive, fail"). Morphological function: core meaning.
• Suffix: -i- (connecting vowel, Latin origin). Morphological function: facilitates connection between root and subsequent suffixes.
• Suffix: -ble- (Latin -bilis, meaning "able to be"). Morphological function: forms an adjective.
• Suffix: -ness- (Old English -nes, from -nessu). Morphological function: forms a noun from an adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: fal-li-. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words of this length and complexity, and is reinforced by the presence of the suffix "-ness".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑnɪnˌfæləbl̩nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The syllable "ble" can sometimes be pronounced with a syllabic /l/, as in this case (/ˌfæləbl̩nəs/). This is a common feature of English phonology, where /l/ can function as a syllable nucleus.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Noninfallibleness" functions solely as a noun. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state or quality of not being capable of making mistakes or being wrong.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: impeccability, unerringness, infallibility
• Antonyms: fallibility, error, imperfection
• Examples: "His noninfallibleness was a source of comfort to his followers." "The doctrine of papal noninfallibleness has been debated for centuries."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Impossibility: im-pos-si-bil-i-ty (5 syllables). Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress on the third syllable.
• Unreliability: un-re-li-a-bil-i-ty (6 syllables). Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress on the fourth syllable.
• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty (6 syllables). Similar suffix structure. Stress on the third syllable.

The differences in syllable count and stress placement are due to the varying lengths of the root morphemes and the presence/absence of connecting vowels. "Noninfallibleness" has a relatively compact root ("fall") compared to "responsibility" or "unreliability", leading to a different stress pattern.

10. Division Rules:

• Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often split based on sonority, with more sonorous sounds tending to belong to the following syllable.
• Affix Rule: Prefixes and suffixes generally form separate syllables.

11. Special Considerations:

The word's length and complexity can lead to slight variations in pronunciation, particularly in vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a common phonetic feature.