Hyphenation ofnonmarriageability

Linguistic Analysis of "nonmarriageability"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "nonmarriageability" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively straightforward application of English phonological rules, though the length and complexity can lead to slight variations in stress and vowel reduction.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): non-mar-riage-a-bil-i-ty

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning "not"). Morphological function: negation.
• Root: marriage (Old English mægþe meaning "union, mating"). Morphological function: core meaning of the word.
• Suffix: -ability (Latin origin, from -abilitas). Morphological function: forms a noun denoting capability or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: a-bil-i-ty. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ity/-ability.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑnˈmærɪdʒəˈbɪləti/

6. Edge Case Review:

The length of the word and the presence of multiple suffixes could potentially lead to variations in pronunciation, particularly in vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. However, the syllabification is relatively consistent.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Nonmarriageability" functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress if it were to function as another part of speech, as it is a derived noun.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state or quality of not being able to be married; the condition of being unsuitable for marriage.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: unmarriability, inability to marry
• Antonyms: marriageability
• Examples: "His criminal record presented a significant issue of nonmarriageability." "The societal pressures contributed to her feelings of nonmarriageability."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• possibility: pos-si-bil-i-ty. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
• responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
• compatibility: com-pat-i-bil-i-ty. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.

The consistent stress pattern on the penultimate syllable in all these words demonstrates the regularity of English stress rules for words ending in "-ility" or "-ability". The differences in the initial syllables reflect the different root morphemes.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

The length of the word and the multiple suffixes could lead to some speakers reducing vowels in unstressed syllables more significantly. However, the syllabification remains consistent.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant (VC) Rule: Syllables are often divided after a vowel sound when followed by a consonant sound (e.g., non-mar).
2. Consonant-Consonant (CC) Rule: When two consonants occur together, they are usually split if they form a permissible onset or coda in English (e.g., mar-riage).
3. Stress-Timing Rule: English is a stress-timed language, meaning that stressed syllables occur at relatively regular intervals, influencing syllable division.