Hyphenation ofnonreprehensibility

Linguistic Analysis of "nonreprehensibility"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "nonreprehensibility" is a complex noun in English (US) pronunciation. It consists of multiple morphemes and presents challenges in syllabification due to consonant clusters and vowel sequences. The pronunciation involves a relatively even distribution of stress, though one syllable is primary.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word is divided as follows (using only original letters): non-re-pre-hen-si-bil-i-ty

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning "not") - Negation.
• Root: reprehend (Latin reprehendere - to blame, censure) - The core meaning of the word.
• Suffixes:
  • -sible (Latin -bilis - capable of, able to be) - Forms an adjective from the verb.
  • -ity (Latin -itas - state or quality of) - Forms a noun from the adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fifth syllable: si-bil-i-ty. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ity, -sion, -tion, etc.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑn.rɪ.prɪˈhen.sɪ.bɪl.ɪ.ti/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant clusters "-reprehens-" and "-sibility" are potential areas for variation in syllabification, but the division presented above is the most common and phonologically justifiable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Nonreprehensibility" functions solely as a noun. As such, the syllabification and stress pattern remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being incapable of being blamed or censured; innocence.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: innocence, blamelessness, impeccability, faultlessness
• Antonyms: culpability, guilt, reprehensibility
• Example Usage: "His nonreprehensibility in the matter was evident to all."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty - Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
• Accessibility: ac-ces-si-bil-i-ty - Similar suffix structure, stress on the antepenultimate syllable.
• Impossibility: im-pos-si-bil-i-ty - Similar suffix structure, stress on the antepenultimate syllable.

The key difference lies in the initial consonant cluster in "nonreprehensibility," which creates an additional syllable. The "-ibility" suffix consistently attracts stress in these words.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant (VC) Rule: Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., re, pre, hen).
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: When consonant clusters occur, they are often split to create syllables that adhere to the sonority hierarchy (e.g., non-re).
3. Suffix Division: Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables (e.g., -ity).

Special Considerations:

The initial "non-" prefix is a relatively common prefix and is consistently treated as a separate syllable. The complex consonant clusters within the root "reprehens" require careful consideration, but the proposed division aligns with standard English syllabification practices.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in unstressed syllables, but this does not significantly alter the syllable division.