HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofold-womanishness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

old-wo-man-ish-ness

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

/oʊld ˈwʊmənɪʃnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('man'). The stress pattern is typical for words ending in '-ness' with a strong root.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

old/oʊld/

Open syllable, initial syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.

wo/woʊ/

Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant.

man/mæn/

Closed syllable, vowel surrounded by consonants, primary stress.

ish/ɪʃ/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

old(prefix)
+
woman(root)
+
-ishness(suffix)

Prefix: old

Old English, adjectival prefix denoting age.

Root: woman

Old English *wīfmann*, 'female human'.

Suffix: -ishness

Combination of -ish (Middle English, resemblance) and -ness (Old English, state/quality).

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The qualities or behavior associated with an old woman; often used pejoratively to describe fussiness, conservatism, or excessive concern with propriety.

Examples:

"Her old-womanishness was evident in her constant disapproval of our plans."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

happinesshap-pi-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and similar stress pattern.

boyishnessboy-ish-ness

Shares the '-ishness' suffix and similar stress pattern.

selfishnessself-ish-ness

Shares the '-ishness' suffix and similar stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (VCC) Rule

Syllables are often divided before consonant clusters, especially after a short vowel.

Suffix Division

Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

Compound Word Consideration

Compound words are divided based on the perceived units of pronunciation.

Special Considerations

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

The hyphen in 'old-woman' can influence pronunciation and syllabification.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may affect syllable boundaries.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'old-womanishness' is divided into five syllables: old-wo-man-ish-ness. The primary stress falls on 'man'. It's a noun formed from the prefix 'old', root 'woman', and suffixes '-ish' and '-ness'. Syllabification follows standard English rules for VCC and suffix division, with consideration for the compound 'old-woman'.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "old-womanishness" (US English)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "old-womanishness" is a complex word formed through multiple morphological processes. Its pronunciation involves several vowel and consonant clusters, requiring careful syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

old-wo-man-ish-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: old- (Old English, adjectival prefix denoting age or former state)
  • Root: woman (Old English wīfmann, "female human")
  • Suffix: -ish (Middle English, suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting resemblance or having the quality of) - Origin: Germanic
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes, suffix forming nouns from adjectives, denoting state or quality) - Origin: Germanic

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: wo-MAN-ish-ness. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ness, unless overridden by other factors like the presence of a strong root.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/oʊld ˈwʊmənɪʃnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The compound nature of "old-woman" presents a slight edge case. While often pronounced as a single unit, the hyphen suggests a degree of separation, influencing the syllabification. The "-ishness" suffix is a common pattern, but its length can sometimes lead to variations in perceived syllable boundaries.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Old-womanishness" functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress if the word were to take on a different grammatical role, as it is not adaptable to other parts of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The qualities or behavior associated with an old woman; often used pejoratively to describe fussiness, conservatism, or excessive concern with propriety.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: prudishness, conservatism, fussiness, primness
  • Antonyms: boldness, liberalism, recklessness
  • Examples: "Her old-womanishness was evident in her constant disapproval of our plans."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • happiness: hap-pi-ness (similar suffix structure, stress on the penultimate syllable)
  • boyishness: boy-ish-ness (similar suffix structure, stress on the penultimate syllable)
  • selfishness: self-ish-ness (similar suffix structure, stress on the penultimate syllable)

The syllable division in these words is consistent with "old-womanishness," demonstrating the regular application of syllabification rules for words ending in "-ness." The difference lies in the complexity of the initial part of the word ("old-woman" vs. "hap," "boy," "self").

10. Division Rules:

  • Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (VCC) Rule: Syllables are often divided before consonant clusters, especially after a short vowel (e.g., old-wo).
  • Suffix Division: Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables (e.g., -ish-ness).
  • Compound Word Consideration: Compound words like "old-woman" are divided based on the perceived units of pronunciation.
  • Stress-Timing: English is a stress-timed language, meaning syllables are adjusted in duration to accommodate stressed syllables.

11. Special Considerations:

The hyphen in "old-woman" is a stylistic choice that can influence pronunciation and syllabification. Some speakers might pronounce it more as a single unit ("oldwoman"), potentially leading to a different syllable division. Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., the /oʊ/ in "old") could also affect the perceived boundaries.

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 process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.