Hyphenation ofsupernumerousness

Linguistic Analysis of "supernumerousness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "supernumerousness" is pronounced /ˌsuːpərˈnjuːmərəsˌnɛs/ (General American English). It presents challenges due to its length, multiple morphemes, and potential for varying stress patterns depending on context.

2. Syllable Division:

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

su-per-nu-mer-ous-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: super- (Latin, meaning "above," "beyond") - modifies the root, indicating exceeding a normal number.
• Root: numer- (Latin, meaning "number") - the core meaning relating to quantity.
• Suffix: -ous (Latin, meaning "full of," "having the quality of") - creates an adjective from the root.
• Suffix: -ness (Old English, meaning "state of being") - creates a noun from the adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ˌsuːpərˈnjuːmərəsˌnɛs/. A secondary stress is present on the first syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌsuːpərˈnjuːmərəsˌnɛs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-erous" can sometimes be a point of variation in stress placement, but in this case, the following "-ness" suffix dictates the primary stress on "nu". The length of the word also increases the likelihood of reduced vowels in unstressed syllables.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Supernumerousness" functions primarily as a noun. While theoretically, one could attempt to use it attributively (e.g., "supernumerousness quality"), this is highly uncommon and wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification or stress.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state of being more numerous than is usual or necessary.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: excess, surplus, overabundance, redundancy
• Antonyms: deficiency, lack, shortage
• Examples: "The supernumerousness of staff made the project run smoothly." "The committee addressed the supernumerousness of regulations."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Numerousness: nu-mer-ous-ness - Similar structure, stress on "nu".
• Supernaturalness: su-per-nat-ur-al-ness - Similar prefix and suffix structure, stress on "nat".
• Dangerousness: dan-ger-ous-ness - Similar suffix structure, stress on "ger".

The differences in stress placement are due to the varying number of syllables and the specific vowel qualities within each word. "Supernumerousness" has a longer root and more syllables, influencing the stress pattern.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• su: /suː/ - Open syllable, unstressed. Rule: Initial syllable, vowel followed by consonant.
• per: /pər/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.
• nu: /njuː/ - Closed syllable, primary stress. Rule: Consonant blend followed by vowel, stress due to following suffix.
• mer: /mər/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants.
• ous: /əs/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant, part of a common suffix.
• ness: /nɛs/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant, common suffix.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant-E Rule: Not applicable here.
2. Consonant Blend Rule: Applied in "nu" syllable.
3. Open/Closed Syllable Rule: Used to determine syllable boundaries based on vowel placement.
4. Suffix Rule: The presence of suffixes "-ous" and "-ness" influences syllable division and stress.

Special Considerations:

The word's length and complex morphology require careful consideration of stress placement. The influence of the suffixes is crucial in determining the syllable structure.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables, making them even shorter and more centralized. Regional accents could also affect vowel qualities.