Hyphenation ofsweet-temperedness

Linguistic Analysis of "sweet-temperedness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "sweet-temperedness" is pronounced as /ˌswiːt ˈtɛmpərdnəs/ in General American English. It exhibits a complex structure with multiple morphemes and potential syllabification challenges due to consonant clusters.

2. Syllable Division:

Following English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: sweet-tem-pered-ness.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: None
• Root: sweet (Old English swēte, meaning pleasant to the taste; extended metaphorically to disposition) - Adjective
• Root: temper (Middle English temperen, from Old French temperer, from Latin temperare meaning to mix in due proportion) - Verb
• Suffix: -ed (Old English -ed, past tense/participle marker) - Verb inflection
• Suffix: -ness (Old English -nes, forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality) - Noun forming suffix

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: /ˈtɛmpərd/. The first syllable, sweet, receives secondary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌswiːt ˈtɛmpərdnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "-mp-" in "tempered" presents a potential challenge. English generally prefers to break syllables before or after consonants, but the cluster is maintained within the syllable due to the close phonetic relationship of the sounds. The final "-ness" is a common suffix and readily forms a syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Sweet-temperedness" functions exclusively as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context (as it's a derived noun).

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The quality of having a pleasant, gentle, and easily controlled disposition.
• Grammatical Category: Noun
• Synonyms: gentleness, amiability, good nature, placidity, equanimity
• Antonyms: irritability, bad temper, volatility, aggression
• Examples: "Her sweet-temperedness was a comfort to everyone around her." "He admired her sweet-temperedness even when he was being difficult."

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Kindness: kin-dness - Similar suffix "-ness", syllable division follows the same pattern.
• Bitterness: bit-ter-ness - Similar suffix "-ness", syllable division follows the same pattern.
• Quickness: quick-ness - Similar suffix "-ness", syllable division follows the same pattern.
  The consistent application of the "-ness" suffix as a separate syllable demonstrates a regular pattern in English morphology and syllabification.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• sweet: /swiːt/ - Open syllable, containing a diphthong. Syllable division rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s) typically forms a syllable.
• tem: /tɛm/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Syllable division rule: Consonant cluster following a vowel forms a syllable.
• pered: /ˈpɛrd/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Syllable division rule: Consonant cluster following a vowel forms a syllable.
• ness: /nəs/ - Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Syllable division rule: Suffixes often form separate syllables.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Consonant (VC) Rule: A vowel followed by a consonant typically forms a syllable.
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters following a vowel often remain within the same syllable.
3. Suffix Rule: Common suffixes often form separate syllables.

Special Considerations:

The "-mp-" cluster in "tempered" could potentially be split, but maintaining it within the syllable aligns with the principle of minimizing syllable complexity and preserving phonetic units.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., the /iː/ in "sweet") might exist, but these do not significantly alter the syllabification.