Hyphenation ofparapsychological

Analysis of "parapsychological"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "parapsychological" is pronounced /ˌpærəsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ in US English. It presents challenges due to its length, multiple schwas, and complex consonant clusters.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: para- (Greek, meaning "beside," "beyond," or "against") - functions to alter the meaning of the root.
• Root: psych- (Greek, meaning "mind," "soul") - the core meaning relating to mental phenomena.
• Suffix: -ological (Greek, -logia meaning "study of," and -ical meaning "relating to") - indicates a field of study or a characteristic.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third-to-last syllable: /ˌpærəsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌpærəsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "ps" is a common initial consonant cluster in English, and doesn't pose a syllabification issue. The schwa sounds (/ə/) are common in unstressed syllables. The "l" before the "o" in "-logical" is a potential point of division, but it remains within the final syllable due to stress and pronunciation.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Parapsychological" primarily functions as an adjective. While it could theoretically be used attributively to form a noun phrase (e.g., "parapsychological research"), the syllabification and stress remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Relating to the investigation of alleged psychic phenomena (such as telepathy, clairvoyance, etc.) that are outside the scope of conventional scientific explanation.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: psychic, extrasensory, metaphysical
• Antonyms: scientific, rational, empirical
• Examples: "The institute conducted parapsychological experiments." "She had a parapsychological experience."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Psychological: paɪ.kəˈlɒ.dʒɪ.kəl - Similar structure, stress on the third syllable from the end. The initial syllable is identical.
• Sociological: ˌsoʊ.si.əˈlɒ.dʒɪ.kəl - Similar suffix "-ological," stress pattern. The initial consonant cluster differs.
• Biological: ˌbaɪ.əˈlɒ.dʒɪ.kəl - Again, the "-ological" suffix and stress pattern are consistent. The initial syllable differs.

These comparisons demonstrate the consistent application of syllabification rules regarding the "-logical" suffix and stress placement.

Syllable Breakdown Details:

• pa-: Open syllable, containing a vowel sound. Rule: Vowel sounds create a syllable.
• ra-: Open syllable, containing a vowel sound. Rule: Vowel sounds create a syllable.
• psy-: Open syllable, containing a vowel sound. Rule: Vowel sounds create a syllable.
• cho-: Open syllable, containing a vowel sound. Rule: Vowel sounds create a syllable.
• log-: Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Rule: Consonant clusters can be part of a syllable, but a vowel sound must be present.
• i-: Open syllable, containing a vowel sound. Rule: Vowel sounds create a syllable.
• cal: Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Rule: Consonant clusters can be part of a syllable, but a vowel sound must be present.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

The schwa sounds in unstressed syllables can sometimes lead to ambiguity in syllable division, but the overall stress pattern and pronunciation guide the division here.

Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable as long as a vowel sound is present.
• Stress Rule: Stress influences syllable prominence and can affect division.