HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofself-sustainment

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

self-sus-tain-ment

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

/ˌselfsəˈsteɪnmənt/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0010

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('tain'). The first syllable ('self') has secondary stress, while the second and fourth syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

self/self/

Open syllable, single vowel sound.

sus/səs/

Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.

tain/teɪn/

Closed syllable, ending in a consonant, primary stress.

ment/mənt/

Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

self(prefix)
+
sustain(root)
+
ment(suffix)

Prefix: self

Old English, reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix.

Root: sustain

Latin *sustinere* - to hold up, endure; verb meaning to maintain or support.

Suffix: ment

French/Latin, nominalizing suffix forming a noun.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The ability to maintain or support oneself without external assistance.

Examples:

"The project aimed to achieve complete self-sustainment within five years."

"The community valued self-sustainment and local production."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

developmentde-vel-op-ment

Shares the '-ment' suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification of this morpheme.

governmentgov-ern-ment

Shares the '-ment' suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification of this morpheme.

entertainmenten-ter-tain-ment

Shares the '-ment' suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification of this morpheme.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Rule

Each syllable generally contains one vowel sound.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are often split, but attempts are made to keep affixes intact.

Prefix/Suffix Rule

Prefixes and suffixes generally form separate syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The 'self-' prefix is often treated as a single syllable.

The 'sus-' sequence is a common cluster that doesn't typically cause division issues.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'self-sustainment' is divided into four syllables: self-sus-tain-ment. It consists of the prefix 'self-', the root 'sustain', and the suffix '-ment'. Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('tain'). Syllabification follows standard vowel and consonant cluster rules, with affixes generally forming separate syllables.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "self-sustainment"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "self-sustainment" is pronounced as /ˌselfsəˈsteɪnmənt/ in US English. It exhibits a complex syllable structure due to the prefix, compound root, and suffix.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word is divided as follows: self-sus-tain-ment.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: self- (Old English) - reflexive pronoun functioning as a prefix indicating performance of an action by the subject.
  • Root: sustain (Latin sustinere - to hold up, endure) - verb meaning to maintain or support.
  • Suffix: -ment (French/Latin) - nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb, indicating action or result.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ˌselfsəˈsteɪnmənt/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌselfsəˈsteɪnmənt/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of 'sus' can sometimes be a point of ambiguity, but in this case, it's clearly part of the root 'sustain'. The 'ment' suffix is a common and well-defined syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Self-sustainment" primarily functions as a noun. While "sustain" can be a verb, the addition of "-ment" solidifies the word's noun status. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of the root verb's potential function.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The ability to maintain or support oneself without external assistance.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: self-sufficiency, independence, self-reliance
  • Antonyms: dependence, reliance
  • Examples: "The project aimed to achieve complete self-sustainment within five years." "The community valued self-sustainment and local production."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Development: de-vel-op-ment (4 syllables, stress on 'lop') - Similar suffix '-ment', but different root structure.
  • Government: gov-ern-ment (3 syllables, stress on 'ern') - Again, '-ment' suffix, different root.
  • Entertainment: en-ter-tain-ment (4 syllables, stress on 'tain') - '-ment' suffix, different root.

The consistent presence of '-ment' as a final syllable is a key similarity. The differences in syllable count and stress placement are due to the varying lengths and complexities of the preceding roots.

10. Division Rules:

  • Vowel Rule: Each syllable generally contains one vowel sound.
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often split, but attempts are made to keep affixes intact.
  • Prefix/Suffix Rule: Prefixes and suffixes generally form separate syllables.

11. Special Considerations:

The 'self-' prefix is often treated as a single syllable, even though it contains a vowel and consonant. The 'sus-' sequence is a common cluster that doesn't typically cause division issues.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the primary pronunciation is /ˌselfsəˈsteɪnmənt/, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables (schwa reduction). This wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.

13. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

  • self: /self/ - Open syllable, containing a single vowel sound.
  • sus: /səs/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.
  • tain: /teɪn/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant, and stressed.
  • ment: /mənt/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/11/2025

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.