Hyphenation ofsemirevolutionary
Syllable Division:
se-mi-re-vo-lu-tion-ar-y
Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)
/ˌsɛmiˌrɛvəˈluʃənəri/
Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)
00101001
Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable '-lu-'. Secondary stress on '-re-'. Other syllables are unstressed.
Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound
Open syllable, onset 's', vowel 'ɛ'
Open syllable, onset 'm', vowel 'i'
Open syllable, onset 'r', vowel 'ɛ'
Open syllable, onset 'v', diphthong 'oʊ'
Open syllable, onset 'l', vowel 'u', primary stress
Syllabic consonant 'ʃ' followed by schwa
Open syllable, onset 'ɑ', vowel 'r'
Syllable with only vowel
Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)
Prefix: semi-
Latin origin, meaning 'half' or 'partly', degree modifier
Root: revolution
Latin origin (*revolutio*), core meaning of change
Suffix: -ary
Latin origin (*-arius*), adjective formation
Partially or tending toward revolutionary principles or change.
Examples:
"The group advocated for semirevolutionary changes to the existing system."
Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features
Similar root and suffix, comparable syllable structure.
Shares the 'semi-' prefix, simpler overall structure.
Shares the '-ary' suffix, different root and stress pattern.
The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end
Onset-Rime Division
Dividing syllables based on the consonant onset and vowel-rich rime.
Consonant-Vowel Division
Separating syllables at vowel boundaries.
Syllabic Consonant Rule
Recognizing consonants that can form a syllable nucleus.
Final Syllable Rule
Recognizing that a single vowel at the end of a word forms a syllable.
Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure
The 'tion' sequence is often treated as a single syllable despite potential division points.
Summary:
The word 'semirevolutionary' is divided into eight syllables: se-mi-re-vo-lu-tion-ar-y. It consists of the prefix 'semi-', the root 'revolution', and the suffix '-ary'. Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable '-lu-'. Syllabification follows standard US English rules, with the 'tion' sequence treated as a single unit.
Detailed Analysis:
Linguistic Analysis of "semirevolutionary" (US English)
1. Pronunciation Examination:
The word "semirevolutionary" presents a challenge due to its length and complex morphology. It's pronounced /ˌsɛmiˌrɛvəˈluʃənəri/ in General American English. The stress falls on the penultimate syllable.
2. Syllable Division:
Following US English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters): se-mi-re-vo-lu-tion-ar-y
3. Morphemic Analysis:
- Prefix: semi- (Latin, meaning "half" or "partly"). Morphological function: degree modifier.
- Root: revolution (Latin revolutio - a turning around, change). Morphological function: core meaning.
- Suffix: -ary (Latin -arius, forming adjectives relating to a thing or activity). Morphological function: adjective formation.
4. Stress Identification:
The primary stress falls on the syllable "-lu-". The secondary stress falls on the syllable "-re-".
5. Phonetic Transcription:
/ˌsɛmiˌrɛvəˈluʃənəri/
6. Edge Case Review:
The sequence "revo" is a common syllable division point, but the presence of the "i" in "semi" and the complex vowel sounds in "revolution" require careful consideration. The "tion" sequence is generally treated as a single syllable.
7. Grammatical Role:
"Semirevolutionary" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context.
8. Definition & Semantics:
- Definition: Partially or tending toward revolutionary principles or change.
- Grammatical Category: Adjective
- Synonyms: Moderately revolutionary, partially subversive, reformist.
- Antonyms: Conservative, traditional, reactionary.
- Examples: "The group advocated for semirevolutionary changes to the existing system."
9. Phonological Comparison:
- revolutionary: re-vo-lu-tion-ar-y. Similar syllable structure, stress on "-lu-".
- seminary: se-mi-nar-y. Similar prefix "semi-", but simpler overall structure.
- ordinary: or-di-nar-y. Similar suffix "-ary", but different root and stress pattern.
The differences in syllable division arise from the varying lengths and complexities of the root morphemes. "Semirevolutionary" has a longer and more complex root than "seminary" or "ordinary".
Detailed Syllable Analysis:
| Syllable | IPA Transcription | Description | Rule Applied | Exceptions/Special Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| se | /sɛ/ | Open syllable, onset 's', vowel 'ɛ' | Onset-Rime division | None |
| mi | /mi/ | Open syllable, onset 'm', vowel 'i' | Onset-Rime division | None |
| re | /rɛ/ | Open syllable, onset 'r', vowel 'ɛ' | Onset-Rime division | None |
| vo | /voʊ/ | Open syllable, onset 'v', diphthong 'oʊ' | Onset-Rime division | None |
| lu | /lu/ | Open syllable, onset 'l', vowel 'u' | Onset-Rime division | Primary stress |
| tion | /ʃən/ | Syllabic consonant 'ʃ' followed by schwa | Consonant-Vowel division, syllabic consonant | Common sequence, treated as a single syllable |
| ar | /ɑr/ | Open syllable, onset 'ɑ', vowel 'r' | Onset-Rime division | None |
| y | /i/ | Syllable with only vowel | Final syllable rule | None |
Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):
The "tion" sequence is a common exception, often treated as a single syllable despite the potential for division. The stress pattern is relatively standard for words of this length and morphology.
Division Rules Applied:
- Onset-Rime Division: Dividing syllables based on the consonant onset and vowel-rich rime.
- Consonant-Vowel Division: Separating syllables at vowel boundaries.
- Syllabic Consonant Rule: Recognizing consonants that can form a syllable nucleus (e.g., /ʃ/ in "tion").
- Final Syllable Rule: Recognizing that a single vowel at the end of a word forms a syllable.
Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:
Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "semi" to /sɪmi/ which wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.
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