HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofnonrationalistic

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

non-ra-tion-al-is-tic

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

/ˌnɑːn.ræʃ.əˈnæl.ɪ.stɪk/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('al'), following the general rule for words ending in -ic, -sion, or -tion.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

non/nɑːn/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

ra/ræ/

Open syllable.

tion/ʃən/

Closed syllable.

al/æl/

Open syllable.

is/ɪs/

Closed syllable.

tic/stɪk/

Closed syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

non-(prefix)
+
rational(root)
+
-istic(suffix)

Prefix: non-

Latin origin, meaning 'not', functions as a negation.

Root: rational

Latin origin (*ratio* meaning 'reason'), core meaning relating to reason.

Suffix: -istic

Greek origin (*-istikos*), via French (*-istique*), forms adjectives denoting a characteristic.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Not rational; not based on or conforming to reason.

Examples:

"His nonrationalistic beliefs led him to make poor decisions."

"The argument was based on nonrationalistic fears."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

statisticsta-tis-tic

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

realisticre-al-is-tic

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

fanaticfan-at-ic

Shares the '-atic' suffix, demonstrating a shorter example of the pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant-Vowel (VCV)

Words with a sequence of vowel-consonant-vowel are typically divided between the vowels.

Consonant Clusters

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable.

Suffix Division

Suffixes are often separated as individual syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The length of the word and multiple morphemes contribute to its complexity.

Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is a common phenomenon.

Potential slight vowel reduction in 'non' by some speakers.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'nonrationalistic' is divided into six syllables: non-ra-tion-al-is-tic. It consists of the prefix 'non-', the root 'rational', and the suffix '-istic'. Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('al'). Syllable division follows standard English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns and suffix separation.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "nonrationalistic"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "nonrationalistic" is pronounced /ˌnɑːn.ræʃ.əˈnæl.ɪ.stɪk/ in General American English. It presents challenges due to its length, multiple morphemes, and the presence of consonant clusters.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): non-ra-tion-al-is-tic

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning "not"). Morphological function: negation.
  • Root: rational (Latin rationalis, from ratio meaning "reason"). Morphological function: core meaning relating to reason.
  • Suffix: -istic (Greek origin, -istikos, via French -istique). Morphological function: forming adjectives denoting a characteristic or adherence to a principle.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: non-ra-tion-al-is-tic. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ic, -sion, or -tion, unless overridden by other factors.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑːn.ræʃ.əˈnæl.ɪ.stɪk/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "-ras-" is a potential point of complexity. However, English allows for such clusters, particularly in polysyllabic words. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables (e.g., the 'a' in 'ration') is also a typical feature.

7. Grammatical Role:

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

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Not rational; not based on or conforming to reason.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: illogical, unreasonable, irrational, absurd
  • Antonyms: rational, logical, reasonable
  • Examples: "His nonrationalistic beliefs led him to make poor decisions." "The argument was based on nonrationalistic fears."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • statistic: sta-tis-tic. Similar syllable structure with a final "-stic" suffix. Stress falls on the penultimate syllable.
  • realistic: re-al-is-tic. Similar syllable structure with a final "-istic" suffix. Stress falls on the penultimate syllable.
  • fanatic: fan-at-ic. Shares the "-atic" suffix. Stress falls on the final syllable. The difference in stress placement is due to the length and complexity of "nonrationalistic" versus the shorter "fanatic".

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
non /nɑːn/ Open syllable, initial syllable. Vowel-consonant-vowel rule. None
ra /ræ/ Open syllable. Vowel-consonant-vowel rule. None
tion /ʃən/ Closed syllable. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. The 't' is often silent in unstressed syllables.
al /æl/ Open syllable. Vowel-consonant-vowel rule. None
is /ɪs/ Closed syllable. Vowel-consonant-consonant rule. None
tic /stɪk/ Closed syllable. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. None

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

The length of the word and the presence of multiple morphemes contribute to its complexity. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is a common phenomenon but requires careful consideration during phonetic transcription.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant-Vowel (VCV): When a word has a sequence of vowel-consonant-vowel, it is typically divided between the vowels (e.g., ra-tion).
  2. Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are easily separable by a vowel sound.
  3. Suffix Division: Suffixes are often separated as individual syllables (e.g., -istic).

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "non" to /nən/. This would not significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/12/2025

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.