Hyphenation ofself-condemnable

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

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-condemnable" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation involves a blend of common and slightly less frequent English sound sequences. The stress pattern is crucial for accurate pronunciation and syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

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

self-con-demn-a-ble

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix, indicating the action is performed by the subject upon itself.
• Root: condemn (Latin condemnare – “to sentence to punishment”) - to express strong disapproval of; to sentence.
• Suffix: -able (Latin -abilis) - forming adjectives from verbs, meaning "capable of being" or "susceptible to being."

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: con-demn-a-ble. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -able, -ible, -ic, -sion, -tion.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself kənˈdɛm.nə.bl̩/

6. Edge Case Review:

The syllable "ble" is a potential edge case. It's a closed syllable ending in a consonant blend (-bl), but the /l/ is syllabic, meaning it functions as a vowel in that syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-condemnable" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Deserving strong condemnation; reprehensible.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: Reprehensible, blameworthy, censurable, deplorable.
• Antonyms: Praiseworthy, commendable, laudable.
• Example Usage: "His self-condemnable behavior shocked everyone."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Comparable: uncondemnable (un-con-demn-a-ble) - The addition of the prefix 'un-' doesn't alter the core syllabification of the root.
• Comparable: condemnation (con-dem-na-tion) - The suffix '-ation' follows similar syllabification rules as '-able', maintaining the stress on the 'demn' syllable.
• Comparable: irresponsible (ir-re-spon-si-ble) - Similar structure with a prefix and suffix, demonstrating the consistent application of stress on the penultimate syllable before the '-able' or '-ible' suffix.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a notable exception to the standard vowel-nucleus requirement.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel Rule: Each vowel sound generally constitutes a syllable.
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable unless they can be split by a vowel.
3. Syllabic Consonant Rule: /l/ can function as a syllable nucleus after a consonant.
4. Stress Rule: Stress typically falls on the penultimate syllable before suffixes like -able.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the schwa in the "a" syllable, making it even more subtle. Regional accents could also influence the vowel quality in "demn" and "ble".