HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofdégoudronneraient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-gou-dro-nə-raient

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

/de.ɡu.dʁɔ.nə.ʁɛ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

The primary stress falls on the last syllable, '-raient', as is typical in French.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

gou/ɡu/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.

dro/dʁɔ/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant cluster.

/nə/

Open syllable, containing a schwa vowel.

raient/ʁɛ̃/

Closed syllable, final syllable, stressed syllable, containing a nasal vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
goudron-(root)
+
-neraient(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, meaning 'removal, reversal'. Prefix indicating the reversal of an action.

Root: goudron-

Origin uncertain, possibly from Old French 'goudron', related to 'tar'. Root denoting the substance 'tar'.

Suffix: -neraient

Combination of infinitive verb ending '-ner' (Latin origin) and conditional present tense ending '-aient' (Latin origin). Verb tense and person marker.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To tar, to asphalt

Translation: To tar, to asphalt

Examples:

"Ils dégoudronneraient la route si elle était trop abîmée."

"Si j'avais les moyens, je dégoudronnerais toute la cour."

Synonyms: bitumer
Antonyms: débitumer
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

dégoulineraientdé-gou-li-ne-raient

Similar prefix and suffix structure, consistent syllabification rules.

dégraisseraitdé-grais-se-rait

Similar prefix and suffix structure, consistent syllabification rules.

dégrossiraientdé-gros-si-raient

Similar prefix and suffix structure, consistent syllabification rules.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-centric Syllabification

Each vowel sound forms the nucleus of a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Preservation

Consonant clusters are generally kept within the same syllable unless they can be naturally separated by a vowel sound.

Special Considerations

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

The pronunciation of the 'r' sound can vary regionally (uvular vs. alveolar), but this does not affect the syllabification.

Nasal vowels do not pose a specific challenge to syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'dégoudronneraient' is syllabified as 'dé-gou-dro-nə-raient' following French vowel-centric rules. The stress falls on the final syllable '-raient'. It's a verb meaning 'they would tar' and consists of the prefix 'dé-', root 'goudron-', and suffix '-neraient'.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "dégoudronneraient"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "dégoudronneraient" is a complex verb form in French, specifically the conditional present tense, third-person plural of the verb "dégoudronner." It means "they would tar" or "they would asphalt." The pronunciation involves several nasal vowels and liaison possibilities.

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 the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: dé- (Latin origin, meaning "removal," "reversal"). Morphological function: Prefix indicating the reversal of an action.
  • Root: goudron- (origin uncertain, possibly from Old French goudron, related to "tar"). Morphological function: Root denoting the substance "tar."
  • Suffix: -ner- (Latin origin, infinitive verb ending). Morphological function: Verb formative suffix.
  • Suffix: -aient (Latin origin, conditional present tense ending). Morphological function: Verb tense and person marker.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress generally falls on the last syllable of a phrase or breath group. In this case, the last syllable, "-aient," receives the primary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/de.ɡu.dʁɔ.nə.ʁɛ̃/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

  • dé-: /de/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes a syllable. No exceptions.
  • gou-: /ɡu/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes a syllable. No exceptions.
  • dro-: /dʁɔ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes a syllable. No exceptions.
  • nə-: /nə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes a syllable. No exceptions.
  • raient: /ʁɛ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters following a vowel sound are generally kept within the same syllable. Exception: The 'r' sound is often pronounced as a uvular fricative, which can influence the perception of the syllable boundary.

7. Edge Case Review:

The "dr" cluster is a common initial consonant cluster in French and is generally treated as belonging to the same syllable. The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ in "raient" is a characteristic feature of French phonology and doesn't pose a specific syllabification challenge.

8. Grammatical Role:

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

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: dégoudronneraient
  • Part of Speech: Verb
  • Definitions:
    • "They would tar"
    • "They would asphalt"
  • Translation: To tar, to asphalt
  • Synonyms: bitumerait (to coat with bitumen)
  • Antonyms: débitumerait (to remove tar)
  • Examples:
    • "Ils dégoudronneraient la route si elle était trop abîmée." (They would tar the road if it were too damaged.)
    • "Si j'avais les moyens, je dégoudronnerais toute la cour." (If I had the means, I would tar the whole yard.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in pronunciation might affect the realization of the /ʁ/ sound (uvular vs. alveolar trill), but this doesn't alter the syllabification.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • dégoulineraient (they would drip): dé-gou-li-ne-raient. Similar structure, same syllabification rules apply.
  • dégraisserait (he/she/it would degrease): dé-grais-se-rait. Similar prefix and suffix structure, consistent syllabification.
  • dégrossiraient (they would rough up): dé-gros-si-raient. Similar prefix and suffix structure, consistent syllabification.

The consistency in syllabification across these words demonstrates the application of the core French syllabification principles: vowel-centric division and preservation of consonant clusters.

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 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.