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Hyphenation ofautomitrailleuses

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

au-to-mi-trai-lleu-ses

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

/o.to.mi.tʁa.jœ.lø.sə/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('trai').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

au/o/

Open syllable

to/to/

Open syllable

mi/mi/

Open syllable

trai/tʁa/

Closed syllable, primary stress

lleu/jø/

Open syllable

ses/sə/

Open syllable

Morphemic Breakdown

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

auto-(prefix)
+
mitrai-(root)
+
-ses(suffix)

Prefix: auto-

Greek origin, meaning 'self'

Root: mitrai-

French, derived from 'mitraille' (machine gun)

Suffix: -ses

Latin origin, feminine plural marker

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Armored fighting vehicles equipped with machine guns; self-propelled machine guns.

Translation: Armored cars, self-propelled machine guns

Examples:

"Les automitrailleuses patrouillaient dans les rues."

"Pendant la guerre, les automitrailleuses étaient essentielles."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

universitésu-ni-ver-si-tés

Similar vowel-consonant alternation and stress pattern.

responsabilitésres-pon-sa-bi-li-tés

Longer word, but shares the pattern of alternating syllables and penultimate stress.

particularitéspar-ti-cu-la-ri-tés

Similar vowel-consonant structure and stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant Rule

Syllables are generally divided after vowels.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable.

Avoid Ending with Consonant Cluster

French avoids ending a syllable with a consonant cluster if possible.

Special Considerations

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

The 'r' sound is uvular in standard French.

The interfix '-lleu-' is a common feature in French words derived from 'mitraille'.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The French noun 'automitrailleuses' (armored cars) is divided into six syllables: au-to-mi-trai-lleu-ses. The primary stress is on 'trai'. It comprises the prefix 'auto-', root 'mitrai-', interfix '-lleu-', and suffix '-ses'.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "automitrailleuses" (French)

1. Pronunciation: The word "automitrailleuses" 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: au-to-mi-trai-lleu-ses

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • auto-: Prefix (Greek origin, meaning "self"). Morphological function: Indicates self-propelled or automatic.
  • mitrai-: Root (French, derived from "mitraille," meaning "grape shot" or "machine gun"). Morphological function: Core meaning related to machine guns.
  • -lleu-: Interfix/Root modification (French). Morphological function: Connects the root to the plural suffix.
  • -ses: Suffix (Latin origin). Morphological function: Feminine plural marker.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: "trai". The final syllable "ses" receives a secondary, weaker stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /o.to.mi.tʁa.jœ.lø.sə/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally avoids leaving a consonant cluster at the end of a syllable unless it's a liaison-prone consonant. This word adheres to that rule.

7. Grammatical Role: "Automitrailleuses" is exclusively a noun, specifically a feminine plural noun. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Armored fighting vehicles equipped with machine guns; self-propelled machine guns.
  • Translation: Armored cars, self-propelled machine guns.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine plural)
  • Synonyms: Véhicules blindés (armored vehicles), chars légers (light tanks - though not a perfect synonym)
  • Antonyms: (Difficult to find direct antonyms, as it's a specific type of vehicle. Perhaps "véhicules non blindés" - unarmored vehicles)
  • Examples:
    • "Les automitrailleuses patrouillaient dans les rues." (The armored cars patrolled the streets.)
    • "Pendant la guerre, les automitrailleuses étaient essentielles." (During the war, armored cars were essential.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • universités: u-ni-ver-si-tés - Similar syllable structure with vowel-consonant alternation. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • responsabilités: res-pon-sa-bi-li-tés - Longer word, but shares the pattern of alternating syllables and a penultimate stress.
  • particularités: par-ti-cu-la-ri-tés - Similar vowel-consonant structure and stress pattern.

The key difference is the presence of the 'r' sound in "automitrailleuses," which is a characteristic of French phonology. The consonant clusters are also typical of French, and the syllabification rules accommodate them.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
au /o/ Open syllable Vowel followed by consonant None
to /to/ Open syllable Vowel followed by consonant None
mi /mi/ Open syllable Vowel followed by consonant None
trai /tʁa/ Closed syllable Vowel followed by consonant cluster None
lleu /jø/ Open syllable Diphthong followed by consonant None
ses /sə/ Open syllable Vowel followed by consonant None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Consonant Rule: Syllables are generally divided after vowels.
  2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable, unless they are liaison-prone.
  3. Avoid Ending with Consonant Cluster: French avoids ending a syllable with a consonant cluster if possible.

Special Considerations:

  • The 'r' sound is uvular in standard French, which affects the pronunciation of the syllables containing it.
  • The interfix "-lleu-" is a common feature in French words derived from "mitraille" and related terms.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation might affect the realization of the 'r' sound (e.g., alveolar 'r' in some southern dialects). However, the syllable division remains consistent.

Short Analysis:

"Automitrailleuses" is a French noun meaning "armored cars." It is divided into six syllables: au-to-mi-trai-lleu-ses. The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ("trai"). The word is composed of the prefix "auto-", the root "mitrai-", an interfix "-lleu-", and the feminine plural suffix "-ses". The phonetic transcription is /o.to.mi.tʁa.jœ.lø.sə/.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

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