Hyphenation ofsuperplausibleness

Linguistic Analysis of "superplausibleness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "superplausibleness" is a complex noun formed through multiple affixations. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively straightforward application of English phonological rules, though the length and number of syllables present challenges.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: super- (Latin, meaning "above," "over," or "beyond"). Morphological function: intensifier.
• Root: plaus- (Latin, from plausibilis, meaning "believable," "credible"). Morphological function: core meaning of believability.
• Suffix: -ible- (Latin, adjectival suffix meaning "able to be"). Morphological function: forms an adjective from the root.
• Suffix: -ness- (Old English, nominalizing suffix). Morphological function: forms a noun from an adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: su-per-plau-si-ble-ness.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌsuːpərˈplɔːzɪbl̩nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The syllable "ble" is a potential edge case, as it could be pronounced as a diphthong or a monophthong depending on regional accents. However, the standard US English pronunciation favors a monophthong. The syllabic consonant /l̩/ in "ble" is also a common feature in English.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Superplausibleness" functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress if it were to function as another part of speech, as it is not morphologically adaptable in that way.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being extremely believable or credible.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: credibility, believability, plausibility, verisimilitude
• Antonyms: implausibility, incredibility, dubiousness
• Examples: "The witness's testimony had an air of superplausibleness that convinced the jury."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Improbability: im-prob-a-bil-i-ty (5 syllables). Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress on the third syllable.
• Unbelievability: un-be-liev-a-bil-i-ty (6 syllables). Similar structure with a prefix and multiple suffixes. Stress on the fourth syllable.
• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty (5 syllables). Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress on the third syllable.

The differences in syllable count and stress placement are due to the varying lengths of the root morphemes and the specific vowel qualities within each word. "Superplausibleness" has a longer root ("plaus") than "responsibility" and "improbability", leading to a different syllable count.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

Division Rules Applied:

• Onset-Rime Division: Syllables are divided based on the consonant onset and vowel-containing rime.
• Stress Assignment: Primary stress is assigned based on the length and complexity of syllables, generally falling on the third syllable in words of this length and structure.
• Syllabic Consonant Rule: A consonant can form a syllable nucleus if it follows a vowel and there is no following vowel.

Special Considerations:

The length of the word and the multiple suffixes create a complex structure. The syllabic /l/ in "ble" is a common feature but requires careful transcription.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Some speakers might pronounce "superplausibleness" with a slightly different vowel quality in the "plau" syllable, or with a more pronounced diphthong in "ble". These variations would not significantly alter the syllable division.