Hyphenation ofpara-aminophenol

Linguistic Analysis of "para-aminophenol" (English - US)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "para-aminophenol" is pronounced /ˌpærəˌæmɪnoʊˈfiːnɒl/ in General American English. It presents challenges due to the presence of multiple vowels, consonant clusters, and the prefix "para-".

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: pa-ra-a-mi-no-phe-nol.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: para- (Greek origin, meaning "beside," "near," or "similar to"). Morphological function: Indicates the position of the amino group relative to the hydroxyl group on the benzene ring.
• Root: amino- (Latin/Greek origin, relating to ammonia or nitrogenous compounds). Morphological function: Indicates the presence of an amino group.
• Suffix: -phenol (Greek origin, meaning "I appear" - originally referring to the appearance of the compound). Morphological function: Indicates a hydroxyl group directly bonded to an aromatic ring.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: /ˌpærəˌæmɪnoʊˈfiːnɒl/. This is typical for words ending in -ol.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌpærəˌæmɪnoʊˈfiːnɒl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The "para-" prefix can sometimes be unstressed or weakly stressed, but in this chemical context, it receives a secondary stress. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is a key consideration.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Para-aminophenol" functions primarily as a noun, specifically a chemical compound. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role within a larger sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: An organic compound with the chemical formula C6H7NO. It is a white to slightly pink crystalline solid.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: p-Aminophenol
• Antonyms: (Not applicable - it's a specific chemical compound)
• Examples:
  • "Para-aminophenol is a crucial intermediate in the production of paracetamol."
  • "The analysis confirmed the presence of para-aminophenol in the sample."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Acetaminophen: a-ce-ta-mi-no-phe-nol. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
• Phenol: phe-nol. Simpler structure, but shares the "-nol" ending and stress pattern.
• Aminophenol: a-mi-no-phe-nol. Similar to the target word, but lacks the "para-" prefix.

The presence of the "para-" prefix adds a syllable and a secondary stress, differentiating it from the other words. The shared "-phenol" ending maintains a consistent stress pattern.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Onset-Rime Division: The most common rule, dividing syllables based on the vowel nucleus and any surrounding consonants.
• Vowel-Only Syllable: Syllables consisting solely of a vowel sound.
• Diphthong Resolution: Recognizing diphthongs as single vowel sounds within a syllable.

12. Special Considerations:

The "para-" prefix can sometimes be elided in very rapid speech, but this is not standard pronunciation. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables (e.g., /ə/ in "pa" and "ra") is a common feature of English pronunciation.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., the /æ/ sound) might occur, but the syllable division remains consistent.