HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofcontre-tirassions

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

con-trə-ti-ras-sions

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

/kɔ̃tʁə.ti.ʁas.jɔ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

Stress falls on the last syllable ('sions') in French.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

con/kɔ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel.

trə/tʁə/

Open syllable, schwa.

ti/ti/

Open syllable.

ras/ʁas/

Closed syllable.

sions/sjɔ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

contre-(prefix)
+
tir-(root)
+
-assions(suffix)

Prefix: contre-

Latin origin (contra), prepositional prefix indicating opposition.

Root: tir-

Latin origin (tirare), verb stem indicating the action of shooting.

Suffix: -assions

Imperfect subjunctive mood, 1st person plural ending.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

We were firing back / We would be firing back.

Translation: We were firing back / We would be firing back.

Examples:

"Si nous avions su qu'ils allaient attaquer, nous contre-tirassions immédiatement."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

contre-attaquerionscon-tʁə-a-tak-ʁi-ɔ̃

Similar structure with a prefix and verb root.

contre-mesureskɔ̃tʁə-me-zyʁ

Prefix + noun, similar syllabification pattern.

tirassionsti-ʁas-jɔ̃

Root and suffix alone, demonstrating consistent rule application.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-centric Syllabification

French syllables are generally built around vowel sounds.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are maintained as long as they are pronounceable.

Avoid Breaking Affixes

Prefixes and suffixes are generally kept intact within a syllable.

Special Considerations

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

Nasal vowels require careful articulation.

Liaison is possible but doesn't affect core syllabification.

Uvular 'r' sound is a characteristic of French pronunciation.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'contre-tirassions' is divided into five syllables based on vowel sounds and permissible consonant clusters. It consists of a Latin-derived prefix 'contre-', a root 'tir-', and a suffix '-assions' indicating the imperfect subjunctive mood. Stress falls on the final syllable. Syllabification follows standard French rules prioritizing vowel sounds.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "contre-tirassions"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "contre-tirassions" is a conjugated verb form in French. It's a complex word formed by a prefix, a root, and a suffix. Pronunciation involves nasal vowels and liaison possibilities.

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 (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: contre- (Latin contra - against). Function: prepositional prefix indicating opposition.
  • Root: tir- (from Latin tirare - to pull, to shoot). Function: verb stem indicating the action of shooting.
  • Suffix: -assions (from -asse- imperfect subjunctive + -ions 1st person plural ending). Function: indicates imperfect subjunctive mood, 1st 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 is stressed.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃tʁə.ti.ʁas.jɔ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The presence of the nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ and the liaison possibilities (though not necessarily occurring in isolation) require careful consideration. The 'r' sounds are also crucial, as French 'r' is uvular.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Contre-tirassions" is the 1st person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "contre-tirer" (to fire back). Syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb's conjugation.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: We were firing back / We would be firing back.
  • Part of Speech: Verb (Imperfect Subjunctive)
  • Translation: We were firing back / We would be firing back.
  • Synonyms: répondions par des tirs (responded with shots)
  • Antonyms: n/a (context-dependent)
  • Examples: "Si nous avions su qu'ils allaient attaquer, nous contre-tirassions immédiatement." (If we had known they were going to attack, we would have fired back immediately.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "contre-attaquerions": con-tʁə-a-tak-ʁi-ɔ̃. Similar structure with a prefix and verb root. Syllabification follows the same vowel-centric rules.
  • "contre-mesures": kɔ̃tʁə-me-zyʁ. Prefix + noun. Syllable division is similar, but the final syllable is different due to the noun ending.
  • "tirassions": ti-ʁas-jɔ̃. The root and suffix alone. Syllabification is a subset of the full word, demonstrating the consistent application of rules.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
con /kɔ̃/ Open syllable, nasal vowel Vowel-centric division Nasal vowel requires careful articulation.
trə /tʁə/ Open syllable, schwa Vowel-centric division The 'r' sound is uvular.
ti /ti/ Open syllable Vowel-centric division
ras /ʁas/ Closed syllable Consonant cluster 'rs' is permissible.
sions /sjɔ̃/ Closed syllable, nasal vowel Vowel-centric division, consonant cluster 'sions' Nasal vowel requires careful articulation.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-centric Syllabification: French syllables are generally built around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound typically forms the nucleus of a syllable.
  2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained as long as they are pronounceable as a unit.
  3. Avoid Breaking Affixes: Prefixes and suffixes are generally kept intact within a syllable.

Special Considerations:

  • The nasal vowels /ɔ̃/ and /ɛ̃/ require specific articulation and can influence the perceived syllable boundaries.
  • Liaison (linking of final consonants to initial vowels) is possible but doesn't affect the core syllabification.
  • The uvular 'r' sound is a characteristic of French pronunciation and doesn't impact syllable division.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllable division. However, the degree of 'r' articulation can vary.

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

The hottest word splits in French

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

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.