Hyphenation ofcontre-scellassent
Syllable Division:
con-tre-sel-las-sent
Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)
/kɔ̃tʁə.sɛ.la.sɑ̃/
Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)
00001
The primary stress falls on the last syllable, '-sent', which is typical for French verbs.
Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound
Open syllable, nasal vowel.
Open syllable, schwa vowel.
Open syllable, stressed vowel.
Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant.
Closed syllable, nasal vowel, final syllable, primary stress.
Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)
Prefix: contre-
Old French, from Latin *contra* - against; adverbial prefix indicating opposition.
Root: scell-
From Old French *escelle*, from Latin *sigillum* - seal; verb stem denoting the action of sealing.
Suffix: -assent
From Latin *-ant* + 3rd person plural present indicative ending; verb inflection marking 3rd person plural, present indicative.
To counter-seal; to seal against something.
Translation: To counter-seal
Examples:
"Ils contre-scellassent les documents pour éviter toute falsification."
Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features
Shares the 'contre-' prefix and similar syllabic structure.
Shares the 'contre-' prefix and similar syllabic structure, though with a longer root.
Shares the 'scell-' root and inflectional ending, demonstrating consistent syllabification rules.
The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end
Vowel-Consonant Separation
Syllables are generally divided after vowels, creating open syllables.
Consonant Cluster Handling
Consonant clusters are maintained unless they are complex and unpronounceable as a unit.
Schwa Syllabification
Schwa vowels (/ə/) often form their own syllables, particularly in unstressed positions.
Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure
Potential for liaison between 'contre' and the following syllable, though not obligatory.
Nasal vowel pronunciation variations across regions.
The word is exclusively a verb form, so syllabification doesn't shift based on part of speech.
Summary:
The word 'contre-scellassent' is divided into five syllables: con-tre-sel-las-sent. The stress falls on the final syllable '-sent'. It's a verb form composed of the prefix 'contre-', the root 'scell-', and the suffix '-assent'. Syllabification follows standard French rules of vowel-consonant separation and consonant cluster maintenance.
Detailed Analysis:
Analysis of "contre-scellassent"
1. Pronunciation Considerations:
The word "contre-scellassent" is a conjugated verb form in French. It's a complex word due to the prefix "contre-", the verb stem "scell-", and the inflectional ending "-assent". The pronunciation involves liaison possibilities and vowel elisions, which influence the perceived syllable boundaries.
2. Syllable Division:
Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex and unpronounceable as a unit, the syllable division is as follows (using only the original letters):
3. Morphemic Analysis:
- Prefix: contre- (Old French, from Latin contra - against). Function: Adverbial prefix indicating opposition.
- Root: scell- (from Old French escelle, from Latin sigillum - seal). Function: Verb stem denoting the action of sealing.
- Suffix: -assent (from Latin -ant + 3rd person plural present indicative ending). Function: Verb inflection marking 3rd person plural, present indicative.
4. Stress Identification:
The primary stress in French typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. In this case, the stress falls on "-sent".
5. Phonetic Transcription:
/kɔ̃tʁə.sɛ.la.sɑ̃/
6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:
Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:
- con-: /kɔ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant. Exception: Nasal vowel.
- tre-: /tʁə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by schwa. Exception: Liaison with the following syllable is possible, but not obligatory.
- sel-: /sɛ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by consonant.
- las-: /la/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by consonant.
- sent: /sɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Nasal vowel at the end of the word.
7. Edge Case Review:
The "contre-" prefix can sometimes lead to elision if the following word begins with a vowel. However, within the word itself, there's no elision. The consonant cluster "scell-" is permissible in French and doesn't require syllable splitting.
8. Grammatical Role:
"Contre-scellassent" is exclusively the 3rd person plural present indicative of the verb "contre-sceller" (to counter-seal). Syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb's tense or mood.
9. Definition & Semantics:
- Definition: To counter-seal; to seal against something.
- Translation: To counter-seal
- Grammatical Category: Verb (3rd person plural, present indicative)
- Synonyms: sceller à l'opposé, obérer
- Antonyms: désceller (to unseal)
- Examples:
- "Ils contre-scellassent les documents pour éviter toute falsification." (They counter-sealed the documents to prevent any falsification.)
10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:
Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllable division. However, the degree of nasalization in vowels like /ɑ̃/ can vary.
11. Phonological Comparison:
- "contre-attaquer": con-tre-at-ta-quer. Similar prefix and structure. Syllable division follows the same vowel-consonant pattern.
- "contre-argumenter": con-tre-ar-gu-men-ter. Similar prefix, but a longer root. Syllable division is consistent.
- "scellassions": scel-las-sions. Similar root and inflectional ending. Syllable division is consistent, demonstrating the rule of vowel-consonant separation.
The hottest word splits in French
See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.
- outside
- orientatrice
- vandalisera
- sufisamment
- abjures
- abjurez
- abjurer
- abjurée
- abjurât
- abjuras
- abjurai
- abjecte
- abjects
- abîmiez
- abîmons
- abîmées
- abîment
- abîmera
- abîmant
- abîmais
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.