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Hyphenation ofstrait-lacedness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

strait-laced-ness

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

/streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

010

Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('laced'). The first ('strait') and third ('ness') syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

strait/streɪt/

Open syllable, stressed.

laced/leɪst/

Closed syllable, primary stress.

ness/nɛsnəs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

strait(prefix)
+
lace(root)
+
ed(suffix)

Prefix: strait

Old French origin, meaning 'narrow, tight', adjectival modifier.

Root: lace

Old French origin, meaning 'to lace', verb forming part of the compound adjective.

Suffix: ed

English, past participle forming part of the compound adjective.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The quality of being rigidly conventional and severely moral.

Examples:

"Her strait-laced upbringing made it difficult for her to accept modern art."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

brightnessbright-ness

Similar structure with a single-syllable root followed by '-ness'.

tightnesstight-ness

Similar structure with a single-syllable root followed by '-ness'.

weaknessweak-ness

Similar structure with a single-syllable root followed by '-ness'.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Team Rule

Division before the vowel team 'ai' in 'strait'.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Division after the 'l' consonant in 'laced', as it's a permissible onset.

Suffix Rule

'-ness' is a suffix and is separated as a distinct syllable.

Special Considerations

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

The compound adjective 'strait-laced' is relatively fixed in its pronunciation and syllabification.

Regional variations are minimal.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'strait-lacedness' is divided into three syllables: 'strait-laced-ness'. It consists of the prefix 'strait', root 'lace', and suffixes '-ed' and '-ness'. Primary stress falls on 'laced'. The syllabification follows vowel team, consonant cluster, and suffix division rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "strait-lacedness"

1. Pronunciation: The word "strait-lacedness" is pronounced /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/ in US English.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: strait-laced-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: strait- (Old French estreit meaning 'narrow, tight'). Function: Adjectival modifier.
  • Root: lace (Old French lacier meaning 'to lace'). Function: Verb, forming part of the compound adjective.
  • Suffix: -ed (English). Function: Past participle, forming part of the compound adjective.
  • Suffix: -ness (English). Function: Noun-forming suffix, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the second syllable: /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /streɪt ˈleɪst ˌnɛsnəs/

6. Edge Case Review: The sequence "ait" in "strait" can sometimes be a point of variation, but in this case, it functions as a single unit within the first syllable. The "-ed" suffix, while often pronounced /t/ or /d/, maintains its full syllabic weight here.

7. Grammatical Role: "Strait-lacedness" functions solely as a noun. There are no syllabification or stress shifts for other parts of speech.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The quality of being rigidly conventional and severely moral.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: rigidity, conventionality, prudishness, conservatism
  • Antonyms: liberalism, flexibility, open-mindedness
  • Examples: "Her strait-laced upbringing made it difficult for her to accept modern art."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Brightness: bright-ness (3 syllables). Similar structure with a single-syllable root followed by "-ness".
  • Tightness: tight-ness (2 syllables). Similar structure with a single-syllable root followed by "-ness".
  • Weakness: weak-ness (2 syllables). Similar structure with a single-syllable root followed by "-ness".

The difference in syllable count arises from the compound adjective "strait-laced" having two syllables, while "bright," "tight," and "weak" are single-syllable words.

10. Division Rules:

  • Vowel Team Rule: "strait" is divided before the vowel team "ai".
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: "laced" is divided after the "l" consonant, as it's a permissible onset for a syllable.
  • Suffix Rule: "-ness" is a suffix and is separated as a distinct syllable.

11. Special Considerations: The compound adjective "strait-laced" is relatively fixed in its pronunciation and syllabification. Regional variations are minimal.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: While the pronunciation is fairly standard, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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