Hyphenation ofstill-increasing

Linguistic Analysis of "still-increasing" (US English)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "still-increasing" is a compound adjective formed by combining "still" and the present participle "increasing." Its pronunciation reflects this composition, with a noticeable pause or slight emphasis between the two parts.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows: still-in-creas-ing.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: still- (Old English, adverbial prefix indicating continuation or persistence). Morphological function: modifies the verb "increasing," indicating ongoing action.
• Root: crease (Old English, meaning to form ridges or folds). Morphological function: core meaning related to growth or expansion.
• Suffix: -ing (Old English, gerundive/present participle suffix). Morphological function: indicates ongoing action, forming a present participle.
• Suffix: -ing (Old English, gerundive/present participle suffix). Morphological function: indicates ongoing action, forming a present participle.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: in-creas-ing. The first syllable, "still," receives secondary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/stɪl ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated nature of the word initially suggests a compound word, which could influence syllabification. However, it functions as a single adjective, and the syllabification follows standard rules for multi-syllabic words.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Still-increasing" primarily functions as an adjective. If used as a gerund (though less common), the stress pattern would likely remain the same.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Continuing to increase; growing steadily.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: escalating, mounting, growing, augmenting
• Antonyms: decreasing, diminishing, waning, declining
• Examples: "The still-increasing demand for electric vehicles is driving innovation." "The company reported a still-increasing profit margin."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Increasing: /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/ - Syllable division: in-creas-ing. Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.
• Stillness: /ˈstɪlnəs/ - Syllable division: still-ness. Similar initial syllable, but different suffix and stress.
• Decreasing: /dɪˈkriːsɪŋ/ - Syllable division: de-creas-ing. Similar ending, but different initial syllable and stress.

The differences in syllable division and stress are due to the varying prefixes and suffixes, as well as the overall length and complexity of the words.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• still: /stɪl/ - Open syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). Exception: Initial syllable in a compound adjective.
• in: /ɪn/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.
• creas: /kriːs/ - Closed syllable, stressed. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant cluster.
• ing: /ɪŋ/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel followed by nasal consonant.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel Rule: Syllables are often divided around vowels.
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are often kept together within a syllable.
3. Compound Word Rule: Compound words are often divided at the hyphen or between constituent parts.

Special Considerations:

The hyphenated structure requires careful consideration, but the word functions as a single unit, so standard syllabification rules apply.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "still" to /stəl/, but this doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.