HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofdécapuchonnaient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-ca-pu-ʃɔ-ne-jɛ̃

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

/de.ka.pu.ʃɔ.ne.jɛ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000011

Stress in French is generally on the final syllable of a phrase. In this word, the penultimate syllable '-aient' receives the primary stress, though it is less pronounced than in stress-timed languages like English.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, containing a single vowel sound.

ca/ka/

Open syllable, containing a single vowel sound.

pu/pu/

Open syllable, containing a single vowel sound.

ʃɔ/ʃɔ/

Open syllable, containing a single vowel sound.

ne/nə/

Open syllable, containing a single vowel sound.

jɛ̃/jɛ̃/

Closed syllable, containing a nasal vowel and a preceding consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
capuchon-(root)
+
-naient(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, meaning 'removal', 'reversal'. Prefixes in French often modify the meaning of the root verb.

Root: capuchon-

From 'capuchon' (hood). The root provides the core meaning of the verb.

Suffix: -naient

Imperfect indicative ending. Indicates tense and person.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To be unhooding, were unhooding, used to unhood.

Translation: Were unhooding

Examples:

"Ils décapuchonnaient leurs manteaux pour entrer dans la pièce."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

décapuchonnerdé-ca-pu-ʃɔ-ner

Shares the same root and prefix, differing only in the infinitive ending.

décapuchonnaisdé-ca-pu-ʃɔ-nais

Shares the same root and prefix, differing only in the first-person singular imperfect ending.

décapuchonnédé-ca-pu-ʃɔ-né

Shares the same root and prefix, differing in the past participle ending.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Sound Rule

Each vowel sound generally constitutes a syllable. This is the primary rule applied in French syllabification.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are complex or disrupt the flow of vowel sounds.

Special Considerations

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

The imperfect tense ending '-aient' requires careful consideration.

The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ is a characteristic feature of French phonology.

French stress is less prominent than in English.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'décapuchonnaient' is a verb in the imperfect indicative tense. It is divided into six syllables based on vowel sounds. The stress falls on the penultimate syllable. The word is composed of a prefix 'dé-', a root 'capuchon-', and a suffix '-naient'. Syllabification follows standard French rules prioritizing vowel sounds and avoiding unnecessary consonant breaks.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "décapuchonnaient" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "décapuchonnaient" is the third-person plural imperfect indicative of the verb "décapuchonner" (to unhood, to take the hood off). Its pronunciation involves a series of vowel sounds, nasal consonants, and a final silent 'ent'.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex, the word divides as follows (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: dé- (Latin origin, meaning 'removal', 'reversal'). Morphological function: negation or reversal of the action.
  • Root: capuchon- (from capuchon, meaning 'hood'). Morphological function: core meaning related to the hood.
  • Suffix: -naient (from the imperfect indicative ending -aient + the past participle ending ). Morphological function: indicates imperfect tense, third-person plural.

4. Stress Identification:

French generally has stress on the final syllable of a phrase or breath group. However, within a word, stress is less prominent than in English. In this case, the stress falls on the penultimate syllable: "-aient".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/de.ka.pu.ʃɔ.ne.jɛ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The 'ch' in "capuchon" represents /ʃ/, a common feature in French. The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ in "-aient" is a typical French nasal vowel. The liaison rules do not apply here as it is the end of a word.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a verb form. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of its function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To be unhooding, were unhooding, used to unhood.
  • Part of Speech: Verb (Imperfect Indicative)
  • Translation: Were unhooding
  • Synonyms: décapuchonnais, décapuchonnaient
  • Examples: "Ils décapuchonnaient leurs manteaux pour entrer dans la pièce." (They were unhooding their coats to enter the room.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • décapuchonnaient vs. décapuchonner: The base form of the verb. Syllabification is similar, with the removal of the "-aient" suffix.
  • décapuchonnaient vs. décapuchonnais: The first-person singular imperfect form. Syllabification is nearly identical, differing only in the final vowel sound.
  • décapuchonnaient vs. décapuchonné: The past participle. Syllabification differs due to the different suffix.

10. Syllable Analysis & Rules:

Here's a breakdown of each syllable, with rules applied:

  • dé: /de/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • ca: /ka/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • pu: /pu/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • ʃɔ: /ʃɔ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • ne: /nə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • jɛ̃: /jɛ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster 'j' followed by a nasal vowel forms a syllable.

11. Special Considerations:

The imperfect tense ending "-aient" is a common feature in French verb conjugation and requires careful consideration during syllabification. The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ is a characteristic of French phonology.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Pronunciation is relatively standard across France. However, some regional accents might slightly alter vowel qualities. This would not significantly affect syllabification.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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 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.