Hyphenation ofsuperrespectableness

Linguistic Analysis of "superrespectableness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "superrespectableness" is a complex word with multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation in US English involves a relatively straightforward application of English syllabification rules, though the length and number of syllables present some challenges.

2. Syllable Division:

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

su-per-re-spect-a-ble-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: super- (Latin, meaning "above," "over," or "excessively") - intensifier.
• Root: respect (Latin respicere - to look back at, to regard) - core meaning of esteem.
• Suffix: -able (Latin -abilis - capable of being) - forms an adjective meaning "worthy of."
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes - state or quality of) - forms a noun denoting a quality or state.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fourth syllable: re-spect. This is typical for words with this morphological structure.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌsuːpərˌrɛspɛktəbl̩nəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The schwa sound /ə/ is common in unstressed syllables. The syllabic consonant /l̩/ in "able" is a common feature of US English pronunciation.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Superrespectableness" functions solely as a noun. There are no significant syllabification or stress shifts if it were to function as another part of speech, as its morphology inherently defines it as a noun.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality or state of being excessively respectful.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: excessive deference, exaggerated politeness, obsequiousness.
• Antonyms: disrespect, rudeness, insolence.
• Example Usage: "His superrespectableness towards his elders was often mistaken for servility."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Responsibility: re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Similar structure with multiple suffixes. Stress on the third syllable.
• Understandable: un-der-stand-a-ble. Similar prefix and suffix structure. Stress on the third syllable.
• Impossibility: im-pos-si-bil-i-ty. Similar suffix structure. Stress on the third syllable.

The key difference is the length and the presence of the "super-" prefix, which influences the initial syllable division and stress placement. The longer words tend to have more syllables and a more distributed stress pattern.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant (VC) Division: Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., su-per, re-spect).
2. Consonant Cluster Division: When consonant clusters occur, they are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation (e.g., spect).
3. Syllabic Consonant Rule: /l/ can become syllabic after a vowel in unstressed syllables (e.g., ble).

Special Considerations:

The length of the word and the multiple suffixes require careful application of the rules to avoid incorrect divisions. The schwa reduction in unstressed syllables is a common phonetic phenomenon that influences syllable perception.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents a common US English pronunciation, slight variations may occur based on regional accents. For example, some speakers might pronounce the "super-" prefix with a more reduced vowel sound.

Short Analysis:

"Superrespectableness" is a noun formed from the root "respect" with the prefixes "super-" and suffixes "-able" and "-ness". It is divided into seven syllables: su-per-re-spect-a-ble-ness, with primary stress on the fourth syllable ("spect"). The phonetic transcription is /ˌsuːpərˌrɛspɛktəbl̩nəs/. Syllabification follows standard English rules of vowel-consonant and consonant cluster division.