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Hyphenation ofdébroussaillassions

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-brous-saill-as-sions

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

/de.bʁu.saj.la.sjɔ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00010

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('as').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, tonic

brous/bʁu/

Closed syllable

saill/saj/

Closed syllable

as/a/

Open syllable, unstressed

sions/sjɔ̃/

Closed syllable

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
brous-(root)
+
-saill-assions(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, reversal/completion

Root: brous-

Old French *brosse* - brushwood

Suffix: -saill-assions

Derived from *sailler* (to jump) + imperfect indicative ending

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

We were clearing brush

Translation: We were clearing brush

Examples:

"Nous débroussaillassions le jardin pour préparer la construction de la terrasse."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

débroussaillagedé-brous-saill-age

Shares the same root and prefix, differing only in the suffix.

débroussaisdé-brous-sais

Shares the same root and prefix, differing in conjugation.

débrouillerdé-brouil-ler

Shares the same prefix, differing in the root vowel and suffix.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable Principle

Syllables generally end in a vowel sound.

Maximizing Onsets

Consonant clusters are grouped into the onset of the syllable.

Suffix Identification

Recognizable suffixes are treated as separate syllables.

Special Considerations

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

Complex verb conjugation, potential for pronunciation variations, nasal vowel reduction in rapid speech.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The French verb 'débroussaillassions' (we were clearing brush) is syllabified as dé-brous-saill-as-sions, with stress on the penultimate syllable. Its structure reflects its complex morphology, and syllabification follows standard French phonological rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "débroussaillassions" (French)

1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced approximately as /de.bʁu.saj.la.sjɔ̃/. It's a complex verb conjugation, and pronunciation can vary slightly depending on speed and regional accent.

2. Syllable Division: dé-brous-saill-as-sions

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • dé-: Prefix (Latin origin). Function: Reversal, undoing, or complete action.
  • brous-: Root (Old French brosse - brushwood, thicket). Function: Relates to clearing brush.
  • -saill-: Intermediate morpheme, derived from sailler (to jump, to spring forth). Function: Intensifies the action of clearing.
  • -ass-: Inflectional suffix (Latin origin). Function: Forms the imperfect tense.
  • -ions: Inflectional suffix (Latin origin). Function: 1st person plural imperfect indicative ending.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: dé-brous-saill-as-sions.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /de.bʁu.saj.la.sjɔ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets. However, consonant clusters can be complex. The "ss" cluster is treated as a single consonant in terms of syllabification, but is pronounced as two distinct sounds.

7. Grammatical Role: This word is exclusively the 1st person plural imperfect indicative of the verb débroussailler (to clear brush). The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb's tense or mood.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: débroussaillassions
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (1st person plural imperfect indicative)
  • Translation: We were clearing brush / We used to clear brush
  • Synonyms: défrichions (we were clearing land), nettoyions (we were cleaning)
  • Antonyms: embroussaillions (we were letting brush grow)
  • Examples:
    • "Nous débroussaillassions le jardin pour préparer la construction de la terrasse." (We were clearing the garden to prepare for the construction of the terrace.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • débroussaillage (noun): dé-brous-saill-age. Syllabification is similar, with the suffix changing the final syllable.
  • débroussais (verb): dé-brous-sais. Syllabification is similar, but shorter due to different conjugation.
  • débrouiller (verb): dé-brouil-ler. Different root vowel changes the syllabic structure.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
/de/ Open syllable, tonic Rule: Open syllable principle. Syllables end in a vowel sound. None
brous /bʁu/ Closed syllable Rule: Maximizing onsets. Consonant cluster "br" forms the onset. None
saill /saj/ Closed syllable Rule: Maximizing onsets. None
as /a/ Open syllable, unstressed Rule: Vowel as syllable nucleus. None
sions /sjɔ̃/ Closed syllable Rule: Consonant cluster "s" forms the onset, "ions" is a common suffix. The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ can sometimes be reduced in rapid speech.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Open Syllable Principle: Syllables generally end in a vowel sound.
  2. Maximizing Onsets: Consonant clusters are grouped into the onset of the syllable whenever possible.
  3. Suffix Identification: Recognizable suffixes (like -ions) are treated as separate syllables.

Special Considerations:

  • The word is a complex verb conjugation, and its length makes it prone to slight variations in pronunciation and potentially, in less formal speech, in syllabification.
  • The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ in the final syllable can be a point of variation in pronunciation.

Short Analysis:

"Débroussaillassions" is a French verb conjugation meaning "we were clearing brush." It is divided into five syllables: dé-brous-saill-as-sions. The stress falls on the penultimate syllable. The word's structure reflects its complex morphology, with a prefix, root, and several suffixes indicating tense and person. Syllabification follows the principles of maximizing onsets and adhering to the open syllable principle.

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

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