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Hyphenation ofdéfourailleraient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-fou-rai-lle-raient

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

/de.fu.ʁa.je.ʁɛ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

The primary stress falls on the final syllable '-raient', as is typical in French. The other syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, unstressed.

fou/fu/

Open syllable, unstressed.

rai/ʁa/

Open syllable, unstressed.

lle/lɛ/

Open syllable, unstressed.

raient/ʁɛ̃/

Closed syllable, stressed, contains a nasal vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
four(root)
+
-ailler-aient(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, meaning 'un-', 'dis-', or 'removal'. Reverses the action of the root.

Root: four

Old French origin, related to Latin 'furnus' (oven), but here meaning 'digging/breaking up'.

Suffix: -ailler-aient

French origin. '-ailler' is a verbal suffix indicating the infinitive form, and '-aient' is the conditional ending for third-person plural.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To dig up, to tear up, to dismantle (figuratively).

Translation: Would dig up, would tear up, would dismantle.

Examples:

"Ils défourailleraient les fondations de l'ancienne maison."

"Elle défourailleraient ses vieilles habitudes."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

défourailleraitdé-fou-rai-lle-rait

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

défourailleradé-fou-rai-lle-ra

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

défourailledé-fou-rai-lle

Shares the same root and prefix, representing the infinitive form.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Division

Syllables are formed around vowel sounds, creating open syllables where possible.

Consonant Cluster Handling

Consonant clusters are maintained unless a vowel sound naturally separates them.

Final Syllable Stress

Stress typically falls on the final syllable of the word.

Special Considerations

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

The pronunciation of the 'r' sound can vary regionally.

The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ requires specific articulation.

Elision of the final 'e' is common in spoken French.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'défourailleraient' is a complex verb conjugation in French. Syllabification follows vowel-based rules, with stress on the final syllable. It's composed of a prefix 'dé-', root 'four-', and a verbal suffix '-ailler-aient'. The phonetic transcription is /de.fu.ʁa.je.ʁɛ̃/.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "défourailleraient" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "défourailleraient" is a complex verb conjugation in French. It's the conditional tense, third-person plural of the verb "défourailler". The pronunciation involves several elisions and liaison possibilities, typical of French.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are pronounced as separate syllables, the division is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • dé-: Prefix (Latin origin, meaning "un-", "dis-", or "removal"). Functions to reverse or undo the action of the root.
  • four-: Root (from Old French forre, related to Latin furnus meaning "oven", but in this context, it relates to digging or breaking up). Represents the core action of the verb.
  • -ailler: Verbal suffix (French origin). Indicates the verb's infinitive form and its class.
  • -aient: Conditional ending (French origin). Indicates third-person plural, conditional mood.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress in French generally falls on the last syllable of the word, unless that syllable contains a schwa (ə). In this case, the last syllable "-raient" is stressed.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/de.fu.ʁa.je.ʁɛ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The "r" sounds in French are often uvular fricatives, and the final "-ent" is often silent unless followed by a vowel. The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ in "-raient" is a common feature of French.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Défourailleraient" is exclusively a verb. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To dig up, to tear up, to dismantle (figuratively).
  • Translation: Would dig up, would tear up, would dismantle.
  • Part of Speech: Verb (Conditional, 3rd person plural)
  • Synonyms: déterrerait, démolirait, démantèlerait
  • Antonyms: reconstruirait, réparerait
  • Examples:
    • "Ils défourailleraient les fondations de l'ancienne maison." (They would dig up the foundations of the old house.)
    • "Elle défourailleraient ses vieilles habitudes." (She would tear up her old habits.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • défouraillerait: dé-fou-rai-lle-rait (similar structure, stress on the last syllable)
  • défouraillera: dé-fou-rai-lle-ra (similar structure, stress on the last syllable)
  • défouraille: dé-fou-rai-lle (similar structure, stress on the last syllable)

The syllable structure is consistent across these words. The addition of the conditional ending "-aient" simply extends the final syllable.

10. Division Rules:

  • Rule 1: Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds. (e.g., dé-fou-rai-lle-raient)
  • Rule 2: Consonant Cluster Handling: Consonant clusters are kept together unless they can be naturally separated by a vowel sound. (e.g., "fr" in "fou-rai")
  • Rule 3: Final Syllable Stress: Stress typically falls on the final syllable.

11. Special Considerations:

The "r" sound in French can be challenging for non-native speakers. The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ requires specific articulation. The elision of the final "e" in "défourailleraient" is common in spoken French.

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

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