Hyphenation ofappointissaient

Linguistic Analysis of "appointissaient" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "appointissaient" is the imperfect indicative third-person plural form of the verb "appointer" (to appoint). Its pronunciation involves a complex interplay of liaison and elision, typical of French.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and respecting vowel clusters, is as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: ap- (Latin ad- meaning "to") - modifies the verb's meaning.
• Root: point- (Latin punctum meaning "point") - the core meaning related to designating or marking.
• Suffix: -issaient (imperfect indicative ending) - indicates tense, mood, person, and number. This is a complex suffix composed of:
  • -i- (thematic vowel)
  • -ss- (third-person plural marker)
  • -aient (imperfect indicative ending)

4. Stress Identification:

French generally has stress on the final syllable of a phrase or breath group. In this case, the final syllable "-aient" receives the primary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/a.pɔ̃.twa.sɛ̃/

6. Syllable List with IPA and Rule Explanations:

• a-: /a/ - Open syllable. Rule: French syllables generally prefer to be open (ending in a vowel).
• pɔ̃: /pɔ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are permitted at the beginning of a syllable. Nasal vowel.
• twa: /twa/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-vowel-consonant structure.
• sɛ̃: /sɛ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Final syllable receives stress. Nasal vowel.

7. Syllable Division Rules Applied:

• Onset Maximization: French favors maximizing the number of consonants in the onset of a syllable.
• Vowel Cluster Resolution: Vowel clusters are generally broken up, with each vowel forming the nucleus of a separate syllable (though this is less strict with nasal vowels).
• Final Syllable Stress: The final syllable is typically stressed.

8. Exceptions & Special Cases:

• The nasal vowels /ɔ̃/ and /ɛ̃/ are complex sounds that require specific articulation.
• Liaison (linking of final consonants to initial vowels) can occur in connected speech, potentially altering the perceived syllable boundaries.

9. Grammatical Role:

As a verb form, the syllabification remains consistent regardless of its function within a sentence.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding this word. However, the degree of nasalization can vary slightly.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• important: a-por-tan /a.pɔʁ.tɑ̃/ - Similar syllable structure, with a nasal vowel.
• montaient: mɔ̃-tɛ̃ /mɔ̃.tɛ̃/ - Similar syllable structure, with two nasal vowels.
• pointait: pwã-tɛ /pwã.tɛ/ - Similar syllable structure, with a nasal vowel and a closed syllable.

These words demonstrate the consistent application of French syllabification rules, particularly regarding nasal vowels and the preference for open syllables.