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Hyphenation ofquasi-slanderous

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

qua-si-slan-der-ous

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

/ˈkweɪziˈslændərəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

10100

Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('slan'), and a secondary stress on the first syllable ('qua').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

qua/kweɪ/

Open syllable, stressed.

si/zi/

Open syllable, unstressed.

slan/slæn/

Closed syllable, primary stressed.

der/dər/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

ous/əs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

quasi-(prefix)
+
slander(root)
+
-ous(suffix)

Prefix: quasi-

Latin origin, meaning 'as if', 'somewhat', or 'resembling'. Degree modifier.

Root: slander

Old Norse origin, meaning 'report, rumor, false accusation'. Base meaning of spreading false information.

Suffix: -ous

Latin origin, -ōsus, meaning 'full of', 'characterized by'. Adjective formation.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Resembling or having the characteristics of slander; tending to slander.

Examples:

"His quasi-slanderous remarks caused a great deal of distress."

"The article contained quasi-slanderous accusations against the politician."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

hazardoushaz-ard-ous

Similar structure with a prefix and suffix attached to a root. Stress falls on the second syllable.

nervousnerv-ous

Similar suffix *-ous* and stress pattern.

variousvar-i-ous

Similar suffix *-ous* and stress pattern. The difference lies in the root structure and the presence of a vowel between consonants, leading to an additional syllable.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Rule

Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally split to maintain syllable onset/coda balance.

Digraph Rule

Digraphs like 'qu' are treated as single consonant sounds for syllabification.

Special Considerations

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

The prefix *quasi-* can sometimes be pronounced with a slightly reduced vowel sound, but this doesn't affect the syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'quasi-slanderous' is divided into five syllables: qua-si-slan-der-ous. It consists of the Latin prefix 'quasi-', the Old Norse root 'slander-', and the Latin suffix '-ous'. Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('slan'). Syllabification follows standard vowel and consonant cluster rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "quasi-slanderous"

1. Pronunciation: The word "quasi-slanderous" is pronounced as /ˈkweɪziˈslændərəs/ in US English.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: quasi-slan-der-ous.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: quasi- (Latin, meaning "as if," "somewhat," or "resembling"). Morphological function: degree modifier.
  • Root: slander- (Old Norse slandr, meaning "report, rumor, false accusation"). Morphological function: base meaning of spreading false information.
  • Suffix: -ous (Latin, -ōsus, meaning "full of," "characterized by"). Morphological function: adjective formation.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the second syllable, "slan," and a secondary stress on the first syllable, "qua."

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ˈkweɪziˈslændərəs/

6. Edge Case Review: The combination of the prefix quasi- and the root slander- presents a slight edge case due to the vowel sequence. However, the standard syllable division rules apply without significant deviation.

7. Grammatical Role: "Quasi-slanderous" functions solely as an adjective. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Resembling or having the characteristics of slander; tending to slander.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: defamatory, libelous, calumnious, malicious
  • Antonyms: complimentary, laudatory, truthful
  • Examples: "His quasi-slanderous remarks caused a great deal of distress." "The article contained quasi-slanderous accusations against the politician."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • hazardous: haz-ard-ous. Similar structure with a prefix and suffix attached to a root. Stress falls on the second syllable.
  • nervous: nerv-ous. Similar suffix -ous and stress pattern.
  • various: var-i-ous. Similar suffix -ous and stress pattern. The difference lies in the root structure and the presence of a vowel between consonants, leading to an additional syllable.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

  • qua-si: /kweɪzi/ - Open syllable, stressed. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) creates a syllable. Exception: The 'qu' digraph is treated as a single consonant sound.
  • slan: /ˈslæn/ - Closed syllable, primary stressed. Rule: Consonant followed by vowel(s) and consonant(s) creates a syllable.
  • der: /dər/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Consonant followed by vowel(s) and consonant(s) creates a syllable.
  • ous: /əs/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Consonant followed by vowel(s) creates a syllable.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally forms a syllable.
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally split to maintain syllable onset/coda balance.
  • Digraph Rule: Digraphs like 'qu' are treated as single consonant sounds for syllabification.

12. Special Considerations: The prefix quasi- can sometimes be pronounced with a slightly reduced vowel sound, but this doesn't affect the syllabification.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: While the provided pronunciation is standard US English, some regional variations might exist in vowel quality, but the syllable division remains consistent.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/11/2025

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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.