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Hyphenation ofcontre-indiquassent

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

con-tre-in-di-qua-ssent

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

/kɔ̃tʁ‿ɛ̃di.ka.sɑ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

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Primary stress falls on the final syllable '-ssent' (sɑ̃), following the general French stress pattern of emphasizing the last syllable of a phrase or breath group.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

con/kɔ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel.

tre/tʁ/

Closed syllable.

in/ɛ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel.

di/di/

Open syllable.

qua/ka/

Open syllable.

ssent/sɑ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel, stressed syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

contre-(prefix)
+
indiqu-(root)
+
-assent(suffix)

Prefix: contre-

Latin origin 'contra', meaning 'against'. Functions as an opposition marker.

Root: indiqu-

From 'indiquer' (to indicate), Latin 'indicare' (to point out). Core meaning of indication.

Suffix: -assent

Imperfect subjunctive 3rd person plural of 'indiquer'. Indicates a hypothetical or conditional action.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

They were contraindicating

Translation: They were contraindicating

Examples:

"Les médecins contre-indiquassent ce médicament aux patients souffrant d'allergies."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

contreditcon-tré-dit

Shares the 'contre-' prefix and follows similar vowel-initial syllable division rules.

indiquerin-di-quer

Demonstrates the basic syllabification of the root 'indiqu-'.

acquiescerac-qui-es-cer

Similar open syllable structure and vowel-initial division.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Initial Syllables

Syllable division occurs before each vowel sound.

Nasal Vowel Syllables

Nasal vowels form a single syllable unit.

Special Considerations

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

Liaison between 'contre' and 'indiquassent' is a phonetic phenomenon and doesn't affect written syllable division.

The word's length and complex conjugation do not introduce exceptions to standard French syllabification rules.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'contre-indiquassent' is divided into six syllables based on vowel-initial rules. It consists of the prefix 'contre-', the root 'indiqu-', and the suffix '-assent'. Stress falls on the final syllable. Syllabification follows standard French phonological rules without significant exceptions.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "contre-indiquassent"

This analysis will break down the French word "contre-indiquassent" into its constituent syllables, morphemes, and phonetic representation, adhering to established French phonological rules.

1. IPA Transcription:

/kɔ̃tʁ‿ɛ̃di.ka.sɑ̃/

2. Morphemic Breakdown:

  • Prefix: contre- (Latin contra - "against"). Function: Opposition, reversal.
  • Root: indiqu- (from indiquer - "to indicate"). Latin indicare - "to point out, show".
  • Suffix: -assent (from the verb indiquer conjugated in the 3rd person plural imperfect subjunctive). Function: Verb conjugation, indicating a hypothetical or conditional action.

3. Stressed Syllables:

The stress in French generally falls on the last syllable of a phrase or breath group. In this case, the last syllable, "-sɑ̃", receives the primary stress.

4. Syllables List with IPA and Rule Explanations:

  • con-: /kɔ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. Exception: Nasal vowel followed by a consonant.
  • tre-: /tʁ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel.
  • in-: /ɛ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. Nasal vowel.
  • di-: /di/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel.
  • qua-: /ka/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel.
  • ssent: /sɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. Nasal vowel.

5. Syllable Division Rule Explanations:

  • Rule 1: Vowel-Initial Syllables: French syllables generally begin with a vowel sound. Syllable division occurs before each vowel.
  • Rule 2: Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally broken up according to sonority, but this is less relevant here as the divisions are primarily vowel-driven.
  • Rule 3: Liaison & Elision: Liaison (linking of final consonants to initial vowels) and elision (dropping of final vowels before initial vowels) do not affect syllable division within the written form. They affect the phonetic realization.
  • Rule 4: Nasal Vowels: Nasal vowels form a single syllable unit.

6. Exceptions/Special Cases per Syllable:

  • The "contre-" prefix presents a slight complexity due to the nasal vowel. However, the division remains consistent with the vowel-initial rule.
  • The "-assent" suffix is a complex morpheme, but its syllabification follows standard rules.

7. Exceptions/Special Cases for the Word as a Whole:

  • The word is relatively long and contains a complex verb conjugation, but it doesn't present any major exceptions to French syllabification rules.
  • The liaison between "contre" and "indiquassent" is a phonetic phenomenon and doesn't alter the written syllable division.

8. Grammatical Role & Syllabification Shifts:

"Contre-indiquer" is a verb. The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb tense or mood. The stress pattern, however, will shift slightly depending on the phrase context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: contre-indiquassent
  • Part of Speech: Verb (3rd person plural imperfect subjunctive of contre-indiquer)
  • Definitions:
    • "They were contraindicating"
    • "They would be contraindicating"
  • Translation: "They were contraindicating"
  • Synonyms: None readily available without context.
  • Antonyms: None readily available without context.
  • Examples: "Les médecins contre-indiquassent ce médicament aux patients souffrant d'allergies." (The doctors were contraindicating this medication to patients suffering from allergies.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllabification. However, the degree of nasalization in vowels can vary. This doesn't affect the syllable division, only the phonetic realization.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • "contredit" (to contradict): con-tré-dit. Similar structure with a prefix and root, following the same vowel-initial syllable division rules.
  • "indiquer" (to indicate): in-di-quer. Demonstrates the basic syllabification of the root.
  • "acquiescer" (to acquiesce): ac-qui-es-cer. Similar open syllable structure.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/6/2025

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Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.