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Hyphenation ofcontre-scellées

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

con-tre-sel-lée-s

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

/kɔ̃tʁə.sɛ.le.e/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00011

Stress falls on the final syllable '-ées', which is typical for French adjectives and adjectival past participles.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

con/kɔ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel. The 'n' is part of the nasalization.

tre/tʁə/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a liquid consonant.

sel/sɛl/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

lée/le.e/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a glide and a vowel.

s/e/

Final vowel, part of the feminine plural ending.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

contre-(prefix)
+
scell-(root)
+
-ées(suffix)

Prefix: contre-

Old French from Latin 'contra' - against, opposite. Preposition/prefix indicating opposition.

Root: scell-

Old French from Latin 'sigillum' - seal. Core meaning relating to sealing.

Suffix: -ées

Feminine plural past participle ending. Combination of '-é' and '-es'.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Counter-sealed; sealed against opening or tampering.

Translation: Counter-sealed

Examples:

"Les lettres étaient envoyées dans des enveloppes contre-scellées."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

contre-attaquecon-tre-at-ta-que

Shares the 'contre' prefix and a similar stress pattern.

scelléesscel-lées

Demonstrates the typical vowel-consonant syllable division and the feminine plural ending.

contre-mesurescon-tre-me-su-res

Shares the 'contre' prefix and a similar stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Syllabification

French syllabification prioritizes vowel sounds. Each vowel sound generally forms the nucleus of a syllable.

Avoidance of Complex Clusters

Consonant clusters are avoided unless they are easily pronounceable as a single unit. Syllable breaks occur before or after consonants to simplify pronunciation.

Final Syllable Stress

French generally stresses the final syllable of a word or phrase.

Special Considerations

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

The 'contre' prefix could potentially elide to 'cont'' before a vowel, but it remains 'contre' here due to the following consonant cluster.

Liaison between 'contre' and 'scellées' is possible but not obligatory.

The feminine plural ending '-ées' is a complex suffix that requires careful consideration during syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'contre-scellées' is divided into five syllables: con-tre-sel-lée-s. It consists of the prefix 'contre-', the root 'scell-', and the suffix '-ées'. Stress falls on the final syllable '-ées'. Syllabification follows vowel-based rules, avoiding complex consonant clusters, and adhering to the typical French final syllable stress pattern.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "contre-scellées"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "contre-scellées" is a complex French word meaning "counter-sealed". It's a feminine plural past participle used as an adjective. Pronunciation involves liaison and elision, typical of French.

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, opposite) - functions as a preposition/prefix indicating opposition.
  • Root: scell- (Old French, from Latin sigillum - seal) - the core meaning relating to sealing.
  • Suffix: -ées (French) - feminine plural past participle ending, indicating the action has been completed on multiple feminine nouns. This is a combination of the past participle ending and the feminine plural marker -es.

4. Stress Identification:

French generally has stress on the final syllable of a phrase or word group. In this case, the stress falls on the final syllable, "-ées".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃tʁə.sɛ.le.e/

6. Edge Case Review:

The "contre" prefix can sometimes elide to "cont'" before a vowel, but in this case, it remains "contre" due to the following consonant cluster. The liaison between "contre" and "scellées" is possible but not obligatory in standard pronunciation.

7. Grammatical Role:

As a past participle used adjectivally, the syllabification remains consistent. If used as part of a verb phrase (e.g., "avoir contre-scellé"), the stress would still fall on the final syllable of the entire phrase.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Counter-sealed; sealed against opening or tampering.
  • Part of Speech: Adjective (past participle used as an adjective)
  • Translation: Counter-sealed
  • Synonyms: scellées à l'opposé, protégées contre l'ouverture
  • Antonyms: ouvertes, non scellées
  • Examples: "Les lettres étaient envoyées dans des enveloppes contre-scellées." (The letters were sent in counter-sealed envelopes.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "contre-attaque": /kɔ̃tʁə.ta.k/ - Syllable division: con-tre-at-ta-que. Similar prefix "contre", similar stress pattern on the final syllable.
  • "scellées": /sɛ.le.e/ - Syllable division: scel-lées. Demonstrates the typical vowel-consonant syllable division.
  • "contre-mesures": /kɔ̃tʁə.me.zyʁ/ - Syllable division: con-tre-me-su-res. Again, the "contre" prefix and final syllable stress.

The differences in syllable count arise from the varying lengths of the root and suffixes. The consistent feature is the stress on the final syllable.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.