Hyphenation ofself-centeredness

Linguistic Analysis of "self-centeredness" (US English)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-centeredness" is a complex noun, commonly pronounced with four syllables. The pronunciation varies slightly depending on regional accents, but the core structure remains consistent.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: self-cen-tered-ness.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the subject is also the object of the action.
• Root: center (Latin centrum, from Greek kentron) - the core meaning relating to a point of focus or importance.
• Suffix: -ed (Old English) - past tense/participle marker, here functioning adjectivally.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English) - noun-forming suffix denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: cen-tered-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌselfˈsentərdnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of "-ed" and "-ness" can sometimes lead to ambiguity in pronunciation, but in this case, the stress pattern and common usage dictate the division.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-centeredness" functions primarily as a noun. While "self-centered" can be an adjective, the addition of "-ness" solidifies its noun status. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of the adjective form.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality of being excessively preoccupied with oneself; egotism.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: egotism, selfishness, narcissism, conceit
• Antonyms: altruism, selflessness, humility
• Examples: "His self-centeredness made it difficult to maintain a relationship." "The politician's self-centeredness was evident in his disregard for public opinion."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• happiness: hap-pi-ness - Similar structure with a suffix. Stress on the second syllable.
• kindness: kind-ness - Simpler structure, but shares the "-ness" suffix. Stress on the first syllable.
• centered: cen-tered - Shares the root and "-ed" suffix. Stress on the first syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the presence of the prefix "self-" in "self-centeredness," which adds weight to the initial syllable and shifts the primary stress further along the word.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Onset-Rime: Syllables are divided based on the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
2. Vowel-Coda: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds, with any following consonants forming the coda.
3. Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation.

Special Considerations:

• The word's length and complexity require careful consideration of stress patterns.
• Regional variations in pronunciation may affect the precise phonetic realization of certain syllables.
• The presence of multiple suffixes adds to the morphological complexity.

Short Analysis:

"Self-centeredness" is a four-syllable noun with primary stress on the third syllable (/ˌselfˈsentərdnəs/). It's morphologically complex, built from the prefix "self-", root "center", and suffixes "-ed" and "-ness". Syllabification follows standard US English rules, dividing the word into self-cen-tered-ness. The word denotes the quality of being self-absorbed and is a common term in psychological and social contexts.