Hyphenation ofself-contradiction

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

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-contradiction" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English generally follows standard English phonological rules, with some potential variation in vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.

2. Syllable Division:

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

self-con-tra-dic-tion

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as an intensifier.
• Root: dict- (Latin dicere - to say) - the core meaning of speaking or asserting.
• Prefix: contra- (Latin) - meaning "against" or "opposing".
• Suffix: -ion (Latin) - nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: con-tra-dic-tion. This is determined by the general rule that stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in -ion, unless there are other factors influencing it.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself.kɑn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of multiple prefixes and a suffix creates a complex morphological structure. Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is common (e.g., the 'e' in 'self' often becomes a schwa /ə/).

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-contradiction" primarily functions as a noun. While it could theoretically be used attributively (e.g., "self-contradictory statement"), the core syllabification and stress remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The act or instance of contradicting oneself; a statement that is logically inconsistent.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: inconsistency, paradox, contradiction, incongruity
• Antonyms: consistency, coherence, agreement
• Examples:
  • "His statement was a clear self-contradiction."
  • "The politician was accused of self-contradiction after changing his stance on the issue."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Competition: com-pe-ti-tion (4 syllables, stress on 'ti'). Similar structure with a suffix '-tion', stress pattern follows the same rule.
• Condition: con-di-tion (3 syllables, stress on 'di'). Shares the 'con-' prefix and '-tion' suffix, stress on the second syllable.
• Introduction: in-tro-duc-tion (4 syllables, stress on 'duc'). Similar suffix '-tion', but different prefix and root, resulting in a different stress pattern.

Syllable Breakdown Details:

• self-: /self/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. No consonant clusters prevent separation.
• con-: /kɑn/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s).
• tra-: /trə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by consonant cluster.
• dic-: /ˈdɪk/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) that cannot combine with the vowel to form a diphthong or long vowel sound.
• tion: /ʃən/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound at the end of the word.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

• The 'self-' prefix is often pronounced with a reduced vowel /ə/.
• The 'contra-' prefix can sometimes be slightly reduced in rapid speech.
• The final '-tion' suffix is a common source of vowel reduction.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Based Syllabification: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable unless they can be split by a vowel.
3. Open vs. Closed Syllables: Syllables ending in a vowel sound are open; those ending in a consonant sound are closed.
4. Stress Placement: Stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable in words ending in '-ion'.

Special Considerations:

The word's complexity arises from its multiple morphemes and the potential for vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. Regional variations in pronunciation might affect the precise phonetic realization of vowels.

Short Analysis:

"Self-contradiction" is a five-syllable word (self-con-tra-dic-tion) with primary stress on the third syllable (/ˌself.kɑn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/). It's formed from the prefixes "self-" and "contra-", the root "dict", and the suffix "-ion". Syllabification follows vowel-based rules, with consideration for consonant clusters and stress patterns common in English words ending in "-ion".