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Hyphenation ofself-forgettingly

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-for-get-ting-ly

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

/ˌself fərˈɡetɪŋli/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('get'). The first and fourth syllables are unstressed, and the second and fifth are secondary unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/self/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

for/fɔr/

Open syllable.

get/ɡet/

Closed syllable.

ting/tɪŋ/

Closed syllable.

ly/li/

Open syllable, final syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

self(prefix)
+
forget(root)
+
ing(suffix)

Prefix: self

Old English, reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix.

Root: forget

Old English, to be unable to recall information.

Suffix: ing

Old English, present participle/gerund forming suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
adverb(grammatical role in sentences)

In a manner characterized by a loss of self-awareness or a disregard for one's own needs or feelings.

Examples:

"He acted self-forgettingly, rushing into the burning building to save the child."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Interestinglyin-ter-est-ing-ly

Similar suffix structure (-ingly) and multi-syllabic root.

Happilyhap-pi-ly

Shares the -ly suffix, simpler structure.

Quicklyquick-ly

Simple adverb formed with -ly.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime Division

Syllables are divided between the onset (initial consonants) and the rime (vowel and following consonants).

Consonant Cluster Division

When consonant clusters occur, they are typically divided to maintain pronounceability.

Special Considerations

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

The compound nature of the word (prefix, root, suffixes) requires careful consideration of morphemic boundaries.

Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is a common phonetic phenomenon in English.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-forgettingly' is an adverb formed from the root 'forget' with the prefixes 'self-' and suffixes '-ing' and '-ly'. It is divided into five syllables: self-for-get-ting-ly, with primary stress on the third syllable ('get'). Syllabification follows standard onset-rime division rules, considering consonant clusters and morphemic boundaries.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "self-forgettingly"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-forgettingly" is pronounced /ˌself fərˈɡetɪŋli/ in General American English. It's an adverb formed from an adjective.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: self-for-get-ting-ly.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the subject is also the object of the action.
  • Root: forget (Old English) - to be unable to recall information.
  • Suffix: -ing (Old English) - present participle/gerund forming suffix.
  • Suffix: -ly (Old English) - adverbial suffix, converting the adjective "forgetting" into an adverb.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ˌself fərˈɡetɪŋli/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself fərˈɡetɪŋli/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of "ing" and "ly" at the end of the word is relatively common and doesn't present a significant edge case. The vowel reduction in the unstressed syllables is standard.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-forgettingly" functions solely as an adverb. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its contextual use.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: In a manner characterized by a loss of self-awareness or a disregard for one's own needs or feelings.
  • Grammatical Category: Adverb
  • Synonyms: absentmindedly, unselfconsciously, obliviously
  • Antonyms: consciously, deliberately, intentionally
  • Examples: "He acted self-forgettingly, rushing into the burning building to save the child."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Interestingly: in-ter-est-ing-ly - Similar suffix structure (-ingly). Stress falls on the second syllable.
  • Happily: hap-pi-ly - Simpler structure, but shares the -ly suffix. Stress falls on the first syllable.
  • Quickly: quick-ly - Another example of a simple adverb formed with -ly. Stress falls on the first syllable.

The difference in stress placement in "self-forgettingly" is due to the length and complexity of the root word ("forgetting") compared to the shorter roots in "happily" and "quickly". "Interestingly" has a similar multi-syllabic root, leading to a later stress.

10. Syllable Analysis with Rules:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
self /self/ Open syllable, initial syllable Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant None
for /fɔr/ Open syllable Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant None
get /ɡet/ Closed syllable Onset-Rime division, consonant cluster followed by vowel None
ting /tɪŋ/ Closed syllable Consonant cluster division, vowel followed by consonant cluster None
ly /li/ Open syllable, final syllable Onset-Rime division, vowel followed by consonant None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Onset-Rime Division: Syllables are divided between the onset (initial consonants) and the rime (vowel and following consonants).
  2. Consonant Cluster Division: When consonant clusters occur, they are typically divided to maintain pronounceability.

Special Considerations:

The compound nature of the word (prefix, root, suffixes) requires careful consideration of morphemic boundaries when applying syllabification rules. The vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is a common phonetic phenomenon in English.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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