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Hyphenation ofcontre-murerais

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

contre-mu-re-rais

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

/kɔ̃tʁə.my.ʁe.ʁa/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0001

The primary stress falls on the final syllable '-rais'. French stress is generally on 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

contre/kɔ̃tʁə/

Open syllable, containing a nasal vowel and a consonant cluster. The 'e' is often reduced to a schwa.

mu/my/

Open syllable, containing a rounded front vowel. Syllable division occurs before the 'r'.

re/ʁe/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Syllable division occurs before the 'r'.

rais/ʁa/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. This syllable receives primary stress.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

contre-(prefix)
+
mur-(root)
+
-erais(suffix)

Prefix: contre-

Old French, from Latin 'contra' - against. Adverbial prefix indicating opposition.

Root: mur-

Latin 'murus' - wall. Lexical root denoting a wall.

Suffix: -erais

Conditional ending, second-person plural. Grammatical marker.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To build a wall against something; to wall up.

Translation: Would wall up, would build a wall against.

Examples:

"Nous contre-murerais la ville pour la protéger."

Synonyms: murer, barrer, clore
Antonyms: démolir, ouvrir
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

contre-mesurecontre-me-sure

Shares the 'contre-' prefix. Syllabification follows similar rules.

murmurermur-mu-rer

Shares the 'mur-' root. Simpler syllabification due to lack of prefix.

regarderaisre-gar-de-rais

Shares the '-erais' conditional ending. Syllabification affected by initial consonant cluster.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllables

Syllables ending in a vowel sound are generally open.

Consonant Clusters

Consonant clusters are generally kept together unless easily separated by a vowel.

Prefix Separation

Prefixes are often separated as distinct syllables.

Final Syllable Stress

The final syllable often receives primary stress in French.

Special Considerations

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

The 'contre-' prefix can undergo elision or liaison depending on the following sound.

Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables can vary regionally.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'contre-murerais' is a verb form syllabified into 'contre-mu-re-rais'. It consists of the prefix 'contre-', the root 'mur-', and the conditional suffix '-erais'. Stress falls on the final syllable '-rais'. Syllabification follows standard French rules prioritizing vowel sounds and avoiding unnecessary consonant cluster breaks.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "contre-murerais"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "contre-murerais" is a conjugated form of the verb "contre-murer" (to wall up, to build a wall against). It's a relatively complex word due to the prefix "contre-", the root "mur-", and the conditional ending "-erais". Pronunciation involves liaison possibilities and vowel elision depending on context.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are pronounceable as separate syllables, the division is as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: contre- (Old French, from Latin contra - against). Function: adverbial prefix indicating opposition or direction against something.
  • Root: mur- (Latin murus - wall). Function: lexical root denoting a wall.
  • Suffix: -erais (Conditional ending). Function: grammatical marker indicating a conditional mood, second-person plural.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃tʁə.my.ʁe.ʁa/

6. Edge Case Review:

The "contre-" prefix can sometimes lead to elision or liaison depending on the following sound. The "r" sounds can be challenging for non-native speakers.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Contre-murerais" is exclusively a verb form (second-person plural conditional of "contre-murer"). Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To build a wall against something; to wall up.
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (conditional, second-person plural)
  • Translation: Would wall up, would build a wall against.
  • Synonyms: murer (to wall up), barrer (to block), clore (to enclose)
  • Antonyms: démolir (to demolish), ouvrir (to open)
  • Examples: "Nous contre-murerais la ville pour la protéger." (We would wall up the city to protect it.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • comparaison: "contre-mesure" (countermeasure) - /kɔ̃tʁə.me.zyʁ/ - Similar prefix, different root. Syllabification follows the same pattern.
  • comparaison: "murmurer" (to murmur) - /myʁ.my.ʁe/ - Shares the "mur-" root. Syllabification is simpler due to the lack of a prefix.
  • comparaison: "regarderais" (would look) - /ʁə.ɡaʁ.de.ʁa/ - Similar conditional ending "-erais". Syllabification is affected by the initial consonant cluster.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllabification. However, the degree of vowel reduction in unstressed syllables can vary.

11. Syllable Division Rules:

  • Rule 1: Open Syllables: Syllables ending in a vowel sound are generally open (e.g., "mu-").
  • Rule 2: Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they can be easily separated by a vowel sound.
  • Rule 3: Prefix Separation: Prefixes are often separated as distinct syllables (e.g., "contre-").
  • Rule 4: Final Syllable Stress: The final syllable often receives primary stress.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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What is hyphenation

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.