Hyphenation ofself-contentedness

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

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-contentedness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation involves a blend of vowel qualities, consonant clusters, and stress patterns typical of English.

2. Syllable Division:

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

self-con-ten-ted-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix, indicating the action is performed by the subject.
• Root: content- (Latin contentus, past participle of continere 'to hold together') - meaning satisfied or at ease.
• Suffix: -ed (Old English) - past tense/participle marker.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English) - noun-forming suffix, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: con-ten-ted-ness. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ness, unless overridden by other factors (like the presence of a strong root syllable).

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself kənˈtɛntɪdnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of "-ten" and "-ted" can sometimes lead to ambiguity in syllabification, but the presence of the vowel sound in each syllable clearly separates them. The 'l' in 'self' is often reduced or elided in rapid speech, but doesn't affect the core syllabic structure.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-contentedness" functions primarily as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function, as it is not a verb or adjective that would undergo inflection.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state of being happily satisfied with oneself and one's situation.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: satisfaction, contentment, complacency, peacefulness
• Antonyms: dissatisfaction, discontent, restlessness, unhappiness
• Examples: "Her self-contentedness was evident in her peaceful smile." "He found a quiet joy in his self-contentedness."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• happiness: hap-pi-ness - Similar structure with a suffix "-ness". Stress falls on the first syllable. Difference: Root syllable strength.
• kindness: kind-ness - Simpler structure, but shares the "-ness" suffix. Stress falls on the first syllable. Difference: Fewer preceding morphemes.
• thoughtfulness: thought-ful-ness - Contains a similar suffix and a compound root. Stress falls on the first syllable. Difference: More complex root structure.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

The compound nature of the word (prefix, root, suffixes) requires careful consideration of morphemic boundaries when applying syllabification rules. The stress pattern is somewhat predictable given the "-ness" suffix, but requires confirmation through pronunciation dictionaries.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant-Vowel (VCV): Syllables are often divided before the first vowel in a sequence (e.g., con-ten).
2. Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC): Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., self, ted, ness).
3. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonants at the beginning or end of a word or syllable are grouped together (e.g., self).