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Hyphenation ofaustralopithèque

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

aus-tra-lo-pi-thè-que

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

/o.stʁa.lo.pi.tɛk/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

010010

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('pithè'). French stress is generally less prominent than in English.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

aus/o/

Open syllable, vowel sound.

tra/stʁa/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster 'str' with uvular 'r'.

lo/lo/

Open syllable, vowel sound.

pi/pi/

Open syllable, vowel sound.

thè/tɛk/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster 'th'.

que/kə/

Open syllable, vowel sound with silent 'e'.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

australo-(prefix)
+
pithèque(root)
+
e(suffix)

Prefix: australo-

Derived from Latin *australis* meaning 'southern', geographical indicator.

Root: pithèque

Derived from Greek *pithekos* meaning 'ape'.

Suffix: e

Silent 'e', indicating grammatical gender (masculine).

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

An extinct genus of early hominins, considered a potential ancestor of modern humans.

Translation: Australopithecus

Examples:

"L'australopithèque afarensis est célèbre grâce à Lucy."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photographiepho-to-gra-phie

Similar structure with consonant clusters and stress pattern.

bibliothèquebi-blio-thè-que

Similar ending with a silent 'e' and consonant clusters.

métropolitainmé-tro-po-li-tain

Demonstrates a different syllable structure but adheres to the rule of avoiding single consonants between vowels.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Consonant Cluster

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable.

Avoid Single Intervocalic Consonant

French avoids leaving a single consonant between two vowels.

Special Considerations

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

The 'th' cluster is uncommon in native French words but accepted due to scientific origin.

The final 'e' is silent, a common feature of French orthography.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'australopithèque' is divided into six syllables: aus-tra-lo-pi-thè-que. The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('pithè'). It's a noun of Latin and Greek origin, referring to an extinct hominin genus. Syllabification follows standard French rules, avoiding single intervocalic consonants and keeping consonant clusters intact.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "australopithèque"

1. Pronunciation: The word "australopithèque" is pronounced with a relatively even stress distribution, though the final syllable receives a slight emphasis. The 'r' sounds are typically uvular in standard French.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to French syllabification rules, is as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • australo-: Prefix, derived from Latin australis meaning "southern." Functions as a geographical indicator.
  • -pithèque: Root, derived from Greek pithekos meaning "ape."
  • -e: Suffix, a silent 'e' that often indicates grammatical gender (masculine in this case) and can influence pronunciation.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: "pithè". However, French stress is generally less prominent than in English.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /o.stʁa.lo.pi.tɛk/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally avoids leaving a single consonant between vowels. This rule is followed here. The 'th' sequence is treated as a single consonant cluster within a syllable.

7. Grammatical Role: "Australopithèque" functions primarily as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: An extinct genus of early hominins, considered a potential ancestor of modern humans.
  • Translation: Australopithecus (English)
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
  • Synonyms: None readily available (it's a specific scientific term).
  • Antonyms: None applicable.
  • Examples: "L'australopithèque afarensis est célèbre grâce à Lucy." (Australopithecus afarensis is famous thanks to Lucy.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • photographie: pho-to-gra-phie. Similar structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • bibliothèque: bi-blio-thè-que. Similar ending with a silent 'e' and consonant clusters. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • métropolitain: mé-tro-po-li-tain. Demonstrates a different syllable structure with more vowels, but still adheres to the rule of avoiding single consonants between vowels. Stress on the antepenultimate syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
aus /o/ Open syllable, vowel sound. Vowel followed by consonant. None
tra /stʁa/ Closed syllable, consonant cluster 'str'. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. Uvular 'r' pronunciation.
lo /lo/ Open syllable, vowel sound. Vowel followed by consonant. None
pi /pi/ Open syllable, vowel sound. Vowel followed by consonant. None
thè /tɛk/ Closed syllable, consonant cluster 'th'. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. 'th' treated as a single unit.
que /kə/ Open syllable, vowel sound. Vowel followed by consonant. Silent 'e' at the end.

Exceptions/Special Cases (Word-Level):

  • The 'th' cluster is relatively uncommon in native French words, but is accepted due to the word's scientific origin.
  • The final 'e' is silent, a common feature of French orthography.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant: Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.
  2. Consonant Cluster: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable.
  3. Avoid Single Intervocalic Consonant: French avoids leaving a single consonant between two vowels.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

  • The pronunciation of the 'r' sound can vary regionally (uvular vs. alveolar). This doesn't significantly affect syllable division.
  • Slight variations in vowel quality are possible, but don't alter the syllabic structure.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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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.