Hyphenation ofself-reproachful

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

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-reproachful" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation involves several consonant clusters and vowel sounds typical of English.

2. Syllable Division:

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

self-re-proach-ful

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the action is performed by the subject.
• Root: proach (from Old French procher meaning "to accuse, blame") - The core meaning relating to blame or accusation. This is somewhat obscured in modern English, as 'proach' isn't a standalone word.
• Suffix: -ful (Old English full) - Adjective-forming suffix meaning "characterized by" or "full of."

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: re-proach-ful.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌself.rɪˈproʊtʃ.fʊl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The 're-' prefix can sometimes be unstressed or merge with the following syllable, but in this case, it maintains a distinct syllable and secondary stress. The 'ch' digraph represents /tʃ/, a common sound in English.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-reproachful" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context, as it's not inflected.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Characterized by or given to feeling or expressing self-reproach; feeling or expressing regret or guilt about one's own actions or failings.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: remorseful, penitent, regretful, guilt-ridden
• Antonyms: complacent, unrepentant, self-satisfied
• Examples: "He was a self-reproachful man, always dwelling on his past mistakes." "Her self-reproachful gaze revealed a deep sense of guilt."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Wonderful: won-der-ful. Similar suffix '-ful', stress pattern (penultimate syllable). Difference: fewer consonant clusters.
• Beautiful: beau-ti-ful. Similar suffix '-ful', stress pattern (penultimate syllable). Difference: initial consonant cluster and vowel quality.
• Hopeful: hope-ful. Similar suffix '-ful', stress pattern (first syllable). Difference: simpler syllable structure, fewer morphemes.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• self: /self/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonant blend. Syllable division rule: Vowel-consonant cluster. No exceptions.
• re: /rɪ/ - Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant. Syllable division rule: Vowel-consonant. No exceptions.
• proach: /proʊtʃ/ - Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster. Syllable division rule: Vowel-consonant cluster. Potential exception: the 'proach' root is not a common standalone word.
• ful: /fʊl/ - Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster. Syllable division rule: Vowel-consonant cluster. No exceptions.

Exceptions and Special Cases:

The root 'proach' is an exception in that it's not a commonly used standalone word. This can make syllabification slightly less intuitive. The prefix 'self-' is often treated as a single morpheme, but it's still a separate syllable.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant (VC): When a vowel is followed by a consonant, a syllable break typically occurs after the vowel.
2. Vowel-Consonant Cluster (VCC): When a vowel is followed by a consonant cluster, a syllable break typically occurs after the vowel.
3. Morpheme Boundaries: Syllable breaks often align with morpheme boundaries (prefix, root, suffix).