HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofself-sufficingness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-suf-fi-cient-ness

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

/ˌselfˈsʌfɪʃəŋnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00010

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

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/sɛlf/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

suf/sʌf/

Closed syllable, containing the root.

fi/fɪ/

Open syllable, part of the root.

cient/ʃiːənt/

Closed syllable, stressed syllable.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, final syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

self(prefix)
+
suf(root)
+
fice-ing-ness(suffix)

Prefix: self

Old English reflexive pronoun, indicating action performed by the subject.

Root: suf

Latin *sufficere* - to be enough, denoting capability.

Suffix: fice-ing-ness

Latin *-fice* (to make/do), Old English *-ing* (progressive/gerundive), Old English *-ness* (state/quality).

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of being able to provide for one's own needs without help from others; independence.

Examples:

"Her self-sufficingness allowed her to live comfortably alone."

"The community valued self-sufficingness in its members."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

independencein-de-pen-dence

Shares a similar suffix structure and concept of self-reliance.

sufficiencysuf-fi-cien-cy

Shares the root 'suf-' and the '-ficiency' component.

selflessnessself-less-ness

Shares the 'self-' prefix and '-ness' suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-C Rule

Syllables are often divided after a vowel when followed by a consonant.

Consonant-Coda Rule

Syllables can end in consonants (consonant codas).

Morpheme Boundary Rule

Syllable division often respects morpheme boundaries.

Special Considerations

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

The word's length and complex morphology can lead to mis-syllabification.

The voicing of 'f' to 'v' in rapid speech is a common phonetic variation.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-sufficingness' is a five-syllable noun with primary stress on the fourth syllable ('cient'). It's formed from the prefix 'self-', the root 'suf-', and the suffixes '-fice', '-ing', and '-ness'. Syllable division follows vowel-C and consonant-coda rules, respecting morpheme boundaries.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "self-sufficingness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-sufficingness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a blend of vowel qualities and consonant clusters. The 'f' in 'sufficing' is often voiced to a 'v' sound due to the following voiced consonant.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): self-suf-fi-cient-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating the action is performed by the subject.
  • Root: suf- (Latin sufficere - to be enough) - The base denoting capability.
  • Suffix: -fice (Latin) - forming verbs, meaning "to make or do".
  • Suffix: -ing (Old English) - progressive/gerundive marker, also forming adjectives.
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English) - forming nouns denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: suf-fi-cient-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌselfˈsʌfɪʃəŋnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-fic-" can sometimes be a point of variation, but in this case, it's relatively stable. The "-ing" suffix can sometimes reduce to /ɪn/ but here it remains /ɪŋ/.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-sufficingness" primarily functions as a noun. There is no significant shift in syllabification or stress if it were hypothetically used in a different grammatical context (which is unlikely).

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of being able to provide for one's own needs without help from others; independence.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: independence, self-reliance, autonomy, self-sufficiency
  • Antonyms: dependence, reliance, neediness
  • Examples: "Her self-sufficingness allowed her to live comfortably alone." "The community valued self-sufficingness in its members."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Independence: in-de-pen-dence (4 syllables) - Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress on the third syllable.
  • Sufficiency: suf-fi-cien-cy (4 syllables) - Shares the root "suf-" and the "-ficiency" component. Stress on the third syllable.
  • Selflessness: self-less-ness (3 syllables) - Shares the "self-" prefix and "-ness" suffix. Stress on the first syllable.

The differences in syllable division and stress are due to the varying lengths and complexities of the root and subsequent suffixes. "Self-sufficingness" has a longer root and more suffixes, leading to a greater number of syllables and a shifted stress pattern.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

  • self: /sɛlf/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel followed by consonant blend.
    • Rule Applied: Vowel-C consonant rule.
    • Exceptions: None.
  • suf: /sʌf/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.
    • Rule Applied: Consonant-Coda rule.
    • Exceptions: None.
  • fi: /fɪ/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel.
    • Rule Applied: Vowel-C rule.
    • Exceptions: None.
  • cient: /ˈʃiːənt/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.
    • Rule Applied: Consonant-Coda rule.
    • Exceptions: None.
  • ness: /nəs/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.
    • Rule Applied: Consonant-Coda rule.
    • Exceptions: None.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel-C Rule: Syllables are often divided after a vowel when followed by a consonant.
  • Consonant-Coda Rule: Syllables can end in consonants (consonant codas).
  • Morpheme Boundary Rule: Syllable division often respects morpheme boundaries.

12. Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology make it prone to mis-syllabification. The voicing of 'f' to 'v' in rapid speech is a common phonetic variation.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "sufficient" to a schwa /ə/, but this doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

The hottest word splits in English (US)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.