Hyphenation ofautobiographies

French Syllable Analysis of "autobiographies"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "autobiographies" (pronounced approximately /otobijɔɡʁafi/) is a complex noun in French, derived from multiple morphemes. Its pronunciation involves liaison possibilities and vowel elisions depending on the following context.

2. Syllable Division:

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

au-to-bio-gra-phies

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: auto- (Greek origin, meaning "self"). Morphological function: creates compound words indicating self-reference.
• Root: bio- (Greek origin, meaning "life"). Morphological function: relates to life or living beings.
• Suffix: -graphie (Greek origin, meaning "writing, recording"). Morphological function: denotes the practice or art of writing.
• Suffix: -s (Latin/French origin). Morphological function: marks pluralization.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. Therefore, the primary stress is on "-phies".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/otobijɔɡʁafi/

6. Edge Case Review:

French syllable structure generally avoids consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables. However, the /ɡʁ/ cluster in "gra-" is permissible. Liaison is possible between "bio" and "gra" in connected speech, potentially blurring the syllable boundary.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Autobiographies" functions primarily as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Accounts of a person's life written by that person.
• Translation: Autobiographies (English)
• Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine plural)
• Synonyms: récits de vie (life stories), mémoires (memoirs)
• Antonyms: biographies (accounts of someone else's life)
• Examples:
  • "Elle a lu plusieurs autobiographies de grands écrivains." (She read several autobiographies of great writers.)
  • "Les autobiographies peuvent offrir un aperçu unique de l'histoire." (Autobiographies can offer a unique insight into history.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• photographies: pho-to-gra-phies. Similar syllable structure, with a consonant cluster at the beginning of the third syllable.
• bibliographies: bi-bli-o-gra-phies. Similar structure, with the same "-graphies" ending.
• cartographies: car-to-gra-phies. Again, the same "-graphies" ending, demonstrating the consistent syllabification of this morpheme. The difference lies in the initial consonant clusters.

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

• au: /o/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sequences are often separated into syllables. Exception: "au" can sometimes form a diphthong, but here it's clearly separated.
• to: /to/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel follows consonant.
• bio: /bjo/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel follows consonant.
• gra: /ɡʁa/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel follows consonant.
• phies: /fi/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster ends the syllable. Stress falls here.

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Maximize Onsets: Attempt to include as many consonants as possible in the onset of each syllable.
• Vowel Separation: Each vowel sound generally forms the nucleus of a separate syllable.
• Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are broken up according to permissible French phonotactics.

12. Special Considerations:

The word is relatively straightforward in its syllabification. The main consideration is the potential for liaison in connected speech, which could affect the perceived boundaries between "bio" and "gra".

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

There are no significant regional variations in the pronunciation or syllabification of this word.