Hyphenation ofsuperdiabolicalness

Analysis of "superdiabolicalness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "superdiabolicalness" is a complex word formed by multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively straightforward application of English syllable structure rules, though the length and number of syllables present a challenge.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllable division rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: super- (Latin, meaning "above," "over," or "excessively") - intensifier.
• Root: diabol- (Latin, from diabolus, meaning "devil") - core meaning relating to evil or wickedness.
• Suffix: -ical (Latin, -icalis) - adjective forming suffix, meaning "of or relating to."
• Suffix: -ness (Old English, -nes) - noun forming suffix, denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: su-per-di-a-bol-i-cal-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌsuːpərˌdaɪəˈbɑːlɪkəlˌnɛs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The length of the word and the presence of multiple suffixes could potentially lead to ambiguity in syllable division for some speakers. However, the established rules of English syllabification provide a clear and consistent breakdown.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Superdiabolicalness" functions primarily as a noun. While theoretically, one could attempt to use it adjectivally (though highly unusual), the syllabification and stress remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being extremely or excessively evil or wicked.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: extreme wickedness, utter depravity, monstrous evil.
• Antonyms: goodness, virtue, benevolence.
• Examples: "The superdiabolicalness of his plan chilled everyone to the bone."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "impossibility": im-pos-si-bil-i-ty. Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• "unpredictability": un-pre-dict-a-bil-i-ty. Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress falls on the third syllable.
• "fantastically": fan-tas-ti-cal-ly. Similar suffix structure (-ically/-ly). Stress falls on the second syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the length and complexity of the root word and the weight of the suffixes. Longer roots tend to attract stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-C-V: When a vowel sound is followed by a consonant and another vowel sound, a syllable break occurs between the vowels.
2. CVC: When a syllable contains a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, it typically forms a closed syllable.
3. Diphthong Rule: Diphthongs (two vowel sounds within one syllable) are treated as a single vowel sound for syllabification.

Special Considerations:

The word's length and the combination of Latinate morphemes create a complex structure. However, the standard English syllabification rules apply consistently.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Minor variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., /ɑː/ vs. /æ/ in "bol") might occur depending on regional accents, but these do not significantly alter the syllable division.