Hyphenation ofprime-ministership
Syllable Division:
prime-min-is-ter-ship
Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)
/ˈpraɪm ˈmɪnɪstərʃɪp/
Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)
10100
Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('min'). Secondary stress is on the first syllable ('prime'). The remaining syllables are unstressed.
Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound
Open syllable, stressed.
Closed syllable, stressed.
Closed syllable, unstressed.
Closed syllable, unstressed.
Closed syllable, unstressed.
Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)
Prefix: prime
Latin origin, meaning 'first' or 'principal', adjectival prefix.
Root: minister
Latin origin, meaning 'servant', 'attendant', or 'official', core element.
Suffix: ship
Old English origin, *-scipe, noun-forming suffix indicating state, condition, or office.
The office, position, or term of office of a prime minister.
Examples:
"He served a long and distinguished prime-ministership."
"Her prime-ministership was marked by economic growth."
Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features
Shares the '-ship' suffix, indicating a state or office.
Shares the '-ship' suffix, indicating a state or office.
Shares the '-ship' suffix, indicating a state or office.
The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end
Vowel-Consonant-Vowel (VCV)
Syllables are often divided between vowels.
Consonant-Vowel (CV)
Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.
Closed Syllable Principle
Syllables ending in a consonant are generally closed.
Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure
The hyphen in 'prime-ministership' doesn't affect syllabification.
The compound nature of the word influences stress placement.
Regional variations in pronunciation might slightly alter vowel sounds.
Summary:
The word 'prime-ministership' is a compound noun with five syllables: prime-min-is-ter-ship. Primary stress falls on 'min', with secondary stress on 'prime'. It's formed from the prefix 'prime', the root 'minister', and the suffix '-ship'. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns.
Detailed Analysis:
Linguistic Analysis of "prime-ministership"
1. Pronunciation Examination:
The word "prime-ministership" is a compound noun in English (US). Its pronunciation involves a blend of common English vowel and consonant sounds. The stress pattern is complex due to the compound nature of the word.
2. Syllable Division:
Following English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):
3. Morphemic Analysis:
- Prefix: prime- (Latin, meaning "first" or "principal") - Adjectival prefix modifying 'minister'.
- Root: minister (Latin, meaning "servant," "attendant," or "official") - The core element denoting a political official.
- Suffix: -ship (Old English, *-scipe) - Noun-forming suffix indicating state, condition, or office.
4. Stress Identification:
The primary stress falls on the third syllable: min-is-ter-ship. Secondary stress is on the first syllable: prime.
5. Phonetic Transcription:
/ˈpraɪm ˈmɪnɪstərʃɪp/
6. Edge Case Review:
The compound nature of the word presents a slight edge case. While generally, stress falls on the first element of a compound, the historical usage and semantic weight of "minister" pull the primary stress towards it.
7. Grammatical Role:
The word functions solely as a noun. There are no syllabification or stress shifts for other parts of speech.
8. Definition & Semantics:
- Definition: The office, position, or term of office of a prime minister.
- Grammatical Category: Noun
- Synonyms: premiership, prime ministry
- Antonyms: None directly applicable.
- Examples: "He served a long and distinguished prime-ministership." "Her prime-ministership was marked by economic growth."
9. Phonological Comparison:
- leadership: lead-er-ship (3 syllables) - Similar suffix -ship. Stress on the first syllable.
- chairmanship: chair-man-ship (3 syllables) - Similar suffix -ship. Stress on the first syllable.
- governorship: gov-er-nor-ship (4 syllables) - Similar suffix -ship. Stress on the second syllable.
The difference in stress placement in "prime-ministership" compared to the others is due to the compound structure and the prominence of the "minister" element. The longer length of the word also contributes to the shift in stress.
Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:
| Syllable | IPA Transcription | Description | Rule Applied | Exceptions/Special Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| prime | /praɪm/ | Open syllable, stressed | Vowel-consonant-vowel pattern | None |
| min | /ˈmɪn/ | Closed syllable, stressed | Consonant-vowel-consonant pattern | None |
| is | /ɪs/ | Closed syllable, unstressed | Vowel-consonant pattern | None |
| ter | /tər/ | Closed syllable, unstressed | Consonant-vowel-consonant pattern | None |
| ship | /ʃɪp/ | Closed syllable, unstressed | Consonant-vowel-consonant pattern | None |
Division Rules Applied:
- Vowel-Consonant-Vowel (VCV): Syllables are often divided between vowels (e.g., prime).
- Consonant-Vowel (CV): Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., min, is, ter, ship).
- Closed Syllable Principle: Syllables ending in a consonant are generally closed.
Special Considerations:
- The hyphen in "prime-ministership" doesn't affect syllabification; it's a visual cue for the compound structure.
- The word's length and compound nature require careful consideration of stress placement.
- Regional variations in pronunciation might slightly alter the vowel sounds, but the core syllabification remains consistent.
Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:
Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "minister" to a schwa /ə/, but this doesn't change the syllable division.
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.