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Hyphenation ofwell-favouredness

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

well-fav-oured-ness

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

/wel ˈfeɪvərdnəs/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

1010

Primary stress on the first syllable ('well'), secondary stress on the second syllable ('fav'), and no stress on the remaining syllables.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

well/wel/

Open syllable, primary stress.

fav/feɪv/

Open syllable, secondary stress.

oured/aʊrd/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

ness/nəs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

well(prefix)
+
favour(root)
+
edness(suffix)

Prefix: well

Old English, adverbial prefix indicating quality

Root: favour

Old French/Latin, denoting approval or liking

Suffix: edness

Combination of -ed (past tense) and -ness (noun-forming suffix)

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or quality of being pleasing or attractive; graciousness.

Examples:

"Her well-favouredness made her a popular figure in the community."

"The well-favouredness of the landscape drew many tourists."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

happinesshap-pi-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and a similar stress pattern.

beautifulnessbeau-ti-ful-ness

Contains the '-ness' suffix and demonstrates a longer word structure with multiple syllables.

kindnesskind-ness

Shares the '-ness' suffix and a simple syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel sound followed by one or more consonant sounds.

Suffix Division

Common suffixes like '-ness' are typically separated into their own syllable.

Special Considerations

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

Regional variations in the pronunciation of 'favoured' may exist, but the syllabification remains consistent.

The word is relatively uncommon, leading to less established precedent for alternative syllabifications.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'well-favouredness' is divided into four syllables: well-fav-oured-ness. It consists of the prefix 'well', the root 'favour', and the suffix '-edness'. Primary stress falls on the first syllable ('well'). Syllabification follows standard vowel-consonant and suffix division rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "well-favouredness" (US English)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "well-favouredness" presents a complex syllabic structure due to its length and the presence of multiple vowels and consonant clusters. The pronunciation is generally /ˈwel ˈfeɪvərdnəs/.

2. Syllable Division:

Following US English syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: well-fav-oured-ness.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: well- (Old English) - Adverbial prefix indicating quality or manner.
  • Root: favour (Old French favor from Latin favor) - Noun/Verb denoting approval, liking, or kindness.
  • Suffix: -ed (Old English) - Past tense/past participle marker.
  • Suffix: -ness (Old English) - Noun-forming suffix denoting a state or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the first syllable: well. A secondary stress is present on fav.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/wel ˈfeɪvərdnəs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "-oured" can sometimes be a point of variation, but in US English, it's generally pronounced as /aʊrd/. The final "-ness" is a common suffix and doesn't present a significant challenge.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Well-favouredness" functions exclusively as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context (as it only has one).

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or quality of being pleasing or attractive; graciousness.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: attractiveness, grace, comeliness, beauty, pleasantness
  • Antonyms: ugliness, repulsiveness, unpleasantness
  • Examples: "Her well-favouredness made her a popular figure in the community." "The well-favouredness of the landscape drew many tourists."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • happiness: hap-pi-ness - Similar suffix "-ness", stress on the first syllable.
  • beautifulness: beau-ti-ful-ness - Longer word with multiple vowels, stress on the second syllable.
  • kindness: kind-ness - Shorter word with a similar suffix, stress on the first syllable.

The syllable division in "well-favouredness" is consistent with these words in terms of vowel-consonant patterns and suffix attachment. The difference lies in the length and complexity of the root ("favoured" vs. "happy", "beautiful", "kind").

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

  • well: /wel/ - Open syllable, stressed. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). Exception: None.
  • fav: /feɪv/ - Open syllable, secondary stress. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). Exception: None.
  • oured: /aʊrd/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Vowel surrounded by consonants. Exception: The diphthong /aʊ/ can sometimes lead to ambiguity, but the common pronunciation dictates this division.
  • ness: /nəs/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Rule: Consonant followed by vowel and consonant. Exception: None.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant Division: Syllables are often divided after a vowel sound followed by one or more consonant sounds (e.g., well, fav, oured, ness).
  2. Consonant Cluster Division: When consonant clusters occur between vowels, the division often occurs within the cluster, based on pronunciation (e.g., favoured).
  3. Suffix Division: Common suffixes like "-ness" are typically separated into their own syllable.

Special Considerations:

  • The pronunciation of "favoured" can vary slightly regionally, but the syllabification remains consistent.
  • The word is relatively uncommon, so there's less established precedent for alternative syllabifications.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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