HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofuncapriciousness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

un-cap-ri-cious-ness

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

/ʌnˈkæprɪʃəsnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00010

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('cious'). The first, second, third, and fifth syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

un/ʌn/

Open syllable, weak stress.

cap/kæp/

Closed syllable, weak stress.

ri/rɪ/

Open syllable, weak stress.

cious/ʃəs/

Closed syllable, primary stress.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, weak stress.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

un-(prefix)
+
capricious(root)
+
-ness(suffix)

Prefix: un-

Old English, negation

Root: capricious

Latin *capriciosus* via French, meaning 'given to sudden changes of mood'

Suffix: -ness

Old English, forms nouns denoting a state or quality

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of being unpredictable or impulsive.

Examples:

"Her uncapriciousness made it difficult to plan anything with her."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

happinesshap-pi-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification of suffixes.

capriciouscap-ri-cious

Contains the same root, showing consistent syllabification within the root.

uncertaintyun-cer-tain-ty

Shares the 'un-' prefix and '-ty' suffix, demonstrating consistent prefix and suffix syllabification.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant (VC) Pattern

Syllables often end in a vowel sound.

Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) Pattern

Common syllable structure, especially in closed syllables.

Suffix Rule

Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

Stress Placement

Stress typically falls on the root syllable or a syllable containing a complex vowel.

Special Considerations

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

The length of the word and consonant clusters require careful consideration.

The 'ci' sequence in 'capricious' could be a point of division debate, but remains within the 'ri' syllable based on pronunciation.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'uncapriciousness' is divided into five syllables: un-cap-ri-cious-ness. It consists of the prefix 'un-', the root 'capricious', and the suffix '-ness'. Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('cious'). Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns and suffix separation.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "uncapriciousness"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "uncapriciousness" is pronounced /ʌnˈkæprɪʃəsnəs/ in US English. It presents challenges due to its length, multiple vowel sounds, and consonant clusters.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: un-cap-ri-cious-ness

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: un- (Old English) - Negation.
  • Root: capricious (Latin capriciosus via French) - Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English) - Forms nouns denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: /ʌnˈkæprɪʃəsnəs/.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ʌnˈkæprɪʃəsnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The "ci" sequence within "capricious" could potentially be a point of division debate, but the established pronunciation and common syllabification patterns dictate it remains within the "ri" syllable. The final "-ness" is a common suffix and is consistently treated as a separate syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Uncapriciousness" 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 a derived noun.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of being unpredictable or impulsive.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: unpredictability, impulsiveness, volatility, fickleness
  • Antonyms: predictability, consistency, stability, reliability
  • Example Usage: "Her uncapriciousness made it difficult to plan anything with her."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Happiness: hap-pi-ness. Similar suffix "-ness" treated identically. Stress pattern differs (hap-pi-ness vs. un-cap-ri-cious-ness).
  • Capricious: cap-ri-cious. The root is identical, demonstrating consistent syllabification within the root itself.
  • Uncertainty: un-cer-tain-ty. Similar prefix "un-" and suffix "-ty" treated consistently. Stress pattern differs.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
un /ʌn/ Open syllable, weak stress Vowel-consonant pattern None
cap /kæp/ Closed syllable, weak stress Consonant-vowel-consonant pattern None
ri /rɪ/ Open syllable, weak stress Vowel-consonant pattern None
cious /ʃəs/ Closed syllable, primary stress Consonant cluster followed by vowel-consonant The "ci" sequence is a common digraph, but remains within the syllable.
ness /nəs/ Closed syllable, weak stress Consonant-vowel-consonant pattern Common suffix, consistently syllabified.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel-Consonant (VC) Pattern: Syllables often end in a vowel sound.
  • Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) Pattern: Common syllable structure, especially in closed syllables.
  • Suffix Rule: Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.
  • Stress Placement: Stress typically falls on the root syllable or a syllable containing a complex vowel.

12. Special Considerations:

The length of the word and the presence of consonant clusters require careful consideration. The "ci" sequence in "capricious" is a potential area for mis-syllabification, but the established pronunciation dictates its inclusion within the "ri" syllable.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the provided IPA transcription represents the most common US English pronunciation, slight variations in vowel quality or stress intensity may occur depending on regional dialects. These variations would not significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

The hottest word splits in English (US)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of dividing words across lines in print or on websites. It involves inserting hyphens (-) where a word breaks to continue on the next line.

Proper hyphenation improves readability by reducing the unevenness of word spacing and unnecessary large gaps. It also helps avoid confusion that may occur when part of a word carries over. Ideal hyphenation should break words according to pronunciation and syllables. Most word processors and publishing apps have automated tools to handle hyphenation effectively based on language rules and dictionaries. Though subtle, proper hyphenation improves overall typography and reading comfort.