Hyphenation ofnonresistiveness

Linguistic Analysis of "nonresistiveness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "nonresistiveness" is pronounced /ˌnɑnɹɪˈzɪstɪvnəs/ 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-re-sis-tive-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: non- (Latin, meaning "not") - Negation.
• Root: resist (Latin resistere - to withstand, oppose) - Core meaning of opposition.
• Suffix: -ive (Latin, adjectival suffix, forming adjectives from verbs) - Creates an adjective meaning "tending to resist".
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes from *-nessu) - Forms a noun denoting a quality or state.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: /ˌnɑnɹɪˈzɪstɪvnəs/. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ness, -ity, -able, -ible, etc., unless overridden by other factors.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌnɑnɹɪˈzɪstɪvnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "resist" is a common root, and its syllabification is standard. The "non-" prefix is also consistently treated as a single syllable. The "-ive" and "-ness" suffixes are also standard. The consonant cluster /stɪv/ is permissible in English.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Nonresistiveness" 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 quality or state of not resisting; lack of opposition.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: passivity, acquiescence, compliance, submission
• Antonyms: resistance, opposition, defiance, rebellion
• Examples: "His nonresistiveness during the interrogation was unsettling." "The policy of nonresistiveness proved ineffective."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Responsiveness: re-spon-si-ve-ness (4 syllables). Similar structure with a prefix and suffixes. Stress on the third syllable. The initial consonant cluster differs, affecting the first syllable.
• Suggestiveness: sug-ges-tive-ness (4 syllables). Similar suffix structure. Stress on the third syllable. The root differs, leading to a different vowel sound in the first syllable.
• Activeness: ac-tive-ness (3 syllables). Shorter word, but shares the "-iveness" suffix. Stress on the second syllable. Demonstrates how suffix length impacts syllable count.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel-C Rule: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound typically forms the nucleus of a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable by a vowel.
• Prefix/Suffix Rule: Prefixes and suffixes are often treated as separate syllables, especially when they contain a vowel sound.

12. Special Considerations:

The length of the word and the multiple morphemes require careful application of the syllable division rules. The stress pattern is crucial for correct pronunciation.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might slightly alter the vowel sounds (e.g., /nɑn/ vs. /nɔn/), but the syllable division would remain the same.

14. Short Analysis:

"Nonresistiveness" is a five-syllable noun derived from Latin roots. It's syllabified as non-re-sis-tive-ness, with primary stress on the fourth syllable (/ˌnɑnɹɪˈzɪstɪvnəs/). Syllable division follows vowel-centric rules and maintains consonant clusters. The word denotes the quality of not resisting.