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Hyphenation ofsulphur-breasted

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

sul-fur-breas-ted

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

/ˈsʌlfər ˈbrɛstɪd/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0 1 0 0

Primary stress falls on the second syllable of 'breasted' (/ˈbrɛstɪd/). The first syllable of 'sulphur' is unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

sul/sʌl/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

fur/fər/

Open syllable, vowel preceded by a consonant.

breas/brɛs/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant cluster.

ted/tɪd/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant cluster.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
sulphur(root)
+
breasted(suffix)

Prefix:

Root: sulphur

Latin *sulfur* (from Arabic *kibrīt*), referring to the chemical element.

Suffix: breasted

Old English *brēost* + *-ed*, adjectival suffix indicating possession or resemblance.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Having a breast or chest of a sulphur (yellowish) color.

Examples:

"The sulphur-breasted warbler flitted through the trees."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

water-resistantwa-ter-re-sis-tant

Similar syllable structure with vowel-consonant patterns and compound structure.

silver-platedsil-ver-plat-ed

Similar compound structure and stress pattern.

copper-coloredcop-per-col-ored

Similar compound structure and syllable division rules.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant (VC)

Syllables are typically divided after a vowel sound when followed by a consonant.

Consonant Cluster

When a vowel is followed by a consonant cluster, the syllable division occurs after the vowel.

Special Considerations

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

The spelling of 'sulphur' is an exception to typical English orthography, with 'ph' representing /f/. The compound nature of the word influences the stress pattern.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'sulphur-breasted' is divided into four syllables: sul-fur-breas-ted. It's a compound adjective with the primary stress on 'breasted'. The spelling of 'sulphur' presents a phonetic exception. Syllabification follows standard English vowel-consonant and consonant cluster rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "sulphur-breasted"

1. Pronunciation & Initial Examination:

The word "sulphur-breasted" presents challenges due to the unusual spelling of "sulphur" and the compound nature of the word. The pronunciation in US English is approximately /sʌlfər ˈbrɛstɪd/. The 'ph' in 'sulphur' is pronounced as /f/, a historical spelling retention.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and consonant clusters, the word divides as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • sulphur: Root. Origin: Latin sulfur (from Arabic kibrīt). Morphological function: Noun, referring to the chemical element.
  • -breasted: Suffix. Origin: Old English brēost + -ed. Morphological function: Adjectival suffix, indicating possession of breasts or resembling breasts in shape.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable of "breasted".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈsʌlfər ˈbrɛstɪd/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

  • sul-: /sʌl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: The 'ph' in 'sulphur' is pronounced /f/, deviating from typical 'ph' pronunciation.
  • -fur: /fər/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by a consonant. Exception: The spelling 'fur' represents the sound /fər/ due to the historical spelling of 'sulphur'.
  • -breas-: /brɛs/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster.
  • -ted: /tɪd/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster.

7. Edge Case Review:

The spelling of "sulphur" is an exception to typical English orthography. The 'ph' represents /f/, which is not consistent with the usual pronunciation of 'ph'. The compound nature of the word also requires consideration, as the stress pattern is influenced by the individual components.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Sulphur-breasted" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Having a breast or chest of a sulphur (yellowish) color.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: Yellow-breasted, golden-breasted
  • Antonyms: None directly applicable.
  • Examples: "The sulphur-breasted warbler flitted through the trees."

10. Alternative Pronunciations & Regional Variations:

Some regional variations might pronounce "sulphur" as /ˈsʌlfə/, which would slightly alter the syllable division (sul-fur vs. sul-fər). However, the stress pattern remains consistent.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • water-resistant: wa-ter-re-sis-tant. Similar syllable structure with vowel-consonant patterns.
  • silver-plated: sil-ver-plat-ed. Similar compound structure and stress pattern.
  • copper-colored: cop-per-col-ored. Similar compound structure and syllable division rules.

The differences lie in the specific consonant clusters and vowel sounds within each word, but the underlying syllabification principles remain the same.

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

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.