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Hyphenation ofultradolichocephalic

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ul-tra-do-li-co-ceph-a-lic

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/ˌʌltrədoʊlɪkoʊˈsɛfælɪk/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001001

Primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable ('ceph').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

ul/ʌl/

Open syllable, initial consonant cluster.

tra/trə/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster onset.

do/doʊ/

Open syllable, vowel-consonant structure.

li/lɪ/

Closed syllable, vowel-consonant structure.

co/koʊ/

Open syllable, vowel-consonant structure.

ceph/sɛf/

Closed syllable, consonant onset.

a/ə/

Open syllable, single vowel.

lic/lɪk/

Closed syllable, consonant onset.

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

ultra-(prefix)
+
dolicho-(root)
+
-ic(suffix)

Prefix: ultra-

Latin origin, meaning 'beyond' or 'excessively'.

Root: dolicho-

Greek origin, meaning 'long'.

Suffix: -ic

Greek origin, adjective-forming suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Having an abnormally long head.

Examples:

"The skull exhibited ultradolichocephalic features."

Antonyms: brachycephalic
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photosynthesispho-to-syn-the-sis

Similar structure with multiple syllables and consonant clusters.

hippopotamuship-po-pot-a-mus

Similar length and complexity, vowel-consonant patterns.

encyclopediaen-cy-clo-pe-di-a

Similar number of syllables and vowel-consonant patterns.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset-Rime Division

Separating the syllable into its onset (initial consonant sounds) and rime (vowel and subsequent consonants).

Vowel-Consonant Division

When a syllable contains a single vowel followed by a consonant, the syllable is typically divided after the vowel.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The word's length and complex consonant clusters require careful application of syllabification rules.

Vowel sequences are treated as diphthongs within a single syllable.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'ultradolichocephalic' is an eight-syllable adjective with primary stress on the seventh syllable ('ceph'). Syllabification follows standard onset-rime and vowel-consonant division rules, accounting for consonant clusters and diphthongs. It is morphologically complex, composed of a Latin prefix, Greek roots, and a Greek suffix.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "ultradolichocephalic"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "ultradolichocephalic" is a complex, multi-syllabic word of Greek and Latin origin. Its pronunciation in US English is approximately /ˌʌltrədoʊlɪkoʊˈsɛfælɪk/. It presents challenges due to its length and the presence of multiple consonant clusters.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • ultra-: Prefix (Latin) - meaning "beyond" or "excessively."
  • dolicho-: Root (Greek) - meaning "long."
  • -cephal-: Root (Greek) - meaning "head."
  • -ic: Suffix (Greek) - forming an adjective.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable: /ˌʌltrədoʊlɪkoʊˈsɛfælɪk/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌʌltrədoʊlɪkoʊˈsɛfælɪk/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

  • ul-: /ʌl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime division. The 'l' is part of the onset. Exception: Initial consonant clusters are common.
  • tra-: /trə/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime division. 'tr' forms the onset, 'ə' the rime.
  • do-: /doʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel-consonant division.
  • li-: /lɪ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime division.
  • co-: /koʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel-consonant division.
  • ceph-: /sɛf/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime division. 's' is the onset, 'ef' is the rime.
  • a-: /ə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Single vowel constitutes a syllable.
  • lic: /lɪk/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Onset-Rime division. 'l' is the onset, 'ik' is the rime.

7. Edge Case Review:

The word's length and complex consonant clusters (e.g., 'str', 'lɪk') require careful application of onset-rime division. The vowel sequences (e.g., 'eo' in 'dolichocephalic') are diphthongs and are treated as single vowel sounds within a syllable.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word functions exclusively as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Having an abnormally long head.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: dolichocephalous
  • Antonyms: brachycephalic
  • Examples: "The skull exhibited ultradolichocephalic features."

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., the 'o' in 'dolichocephalic') might exist, but these variations do not significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • photosynthesis: pho-to-syn-the-sis - Similar structure with multiple syllables and consonant clusters. Stress pattern differs.
  • hippopotamus: hip-po-pot-a-mus - Similar length and complexity. Syllable division follows similar rules.
  • encyclopedia: en-cy-clo-pe-di-a - Similar number of syllables and vowel-consonant patterns. Stress pattern differs.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/5/2025

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