Hyphenation ofsuperstition-proof

Analysis of "superstition-proof"

1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced /ˌsuːpərˌstɪʃənˈpruːf/.

2. Syllable Division: su-per-sti-tion-proof

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: super- (Latin, meaning "above," "over," or "beyond") - intensifier.
• Root: stit- (Latin sistere "to stand, set, place") - relating to standing firm or belief.
• Suffix: -tion (Latin, forming abstract nouns from verbs) - nominalizer.
• Suffix: proof (English, originally meaning "test," but now functioning as a suffix indicating immunity or resistance) - adjectival suffix.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the third syllable, "sti" in "superstition," and the secondary stress falls on "super". The final syllable, "proof", also receives some stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃənˌpruːf/

6. Edge Case Review: The hyphenated nature of the word presents a slight edge case. Hyphens often indicate a pause, but in this case, the word functions as a single lexical item, and the syllable division should reflect that.

7. Grammatical Role: The word functions as an adjective. If "superstition" were used as a standalone noun, the stress pattern would shift to /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Not susceptible to being affected by superstition; immune to the influence of irrational belief.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: rational, logical, skeptical, pragmatic
• Antonyms: superstitious, credulous, irrational
• Examples: "The scientist's approach was superstition-proof." "He needed a superstition-proof explanation for the strange events."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "communication": com-mu-ni-ca-tion. Similar syllable structure with alternating open and closed syllables. Stress on the second syllable.
• "investigation": in-ves-ti-ga-tion. Similar suffix "-tion" and stress pattern.
• "interpretation": in-ter-pre-ta-tion. Similar suffix "-tion" and stress pattern. The difference lies in the initial consonant clusters.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

• su /suː/ - Open syllable. Rule: Initial syllable, vowel sound followed by consonant. No exceptions.
• per /pər/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel sound followed by consonant cluster. No exceptions.
• sti /stɪ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel sound and consonant. No exceptions.
• tion /ʃən/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel sound followed by consonant cluster. No exceptions.
• proof /pruːf/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel sound followed by consonant cluster. No exceptions.

Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel-Consonant Division: Syllables are often divided after a vowel sound followed by a consonant sound.
• Consonant Cluster Division: When a consonant cluster occurs between vowels, the cluster is typically divided to create separate syllables.
• Initial Syllable Rule: The first syllable is often determined by the initial vowel sound.

Special Considerations:

• The hyphenated structure could lead to misinterpretation, but the word functions as a single unit.
• Regional variations in pronunciation might slightly alter the syllable boundaries, but the core division remains consistent.

Short Analysis:

"superstition-proof" is a compound adjective formed from the prefix "super-", the root "stit-", and the suffixes "-tion" and "-proof". It is divided into five syllables: su-per-sti-tion-proof, with primary stress on "sti" and secondary stress on "super". The syllable division follows standard English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns and consonant clusters.