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Hyphenation ofdégourdissaient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-gour-dis-sai-ssaient

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

/de.ɡuʁ.di.sɛ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('dis'), following the penultimate stress rule in French.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, simple vowel sound.

gour/ɡuʁ/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster onset.

dis/di/

Open syllable, stressed syllable.

sai/sɛ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel nucleus.

ssaient/sɛ̃/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster onset, nasal vowel nucleus.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
gour-(root)
+
-dis-ssaient(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, indicates reversal or separation.

Root: gour-

Old French origin, related to 'to swell, to be lively'.

Suffix: -dis-ssaient

Latin and French origins, indicates verb conjugation (imperfect subjunctive).

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To be losing one's wits, to be becoming foolish, to be losing one's senses.

Translation: Were losing their senses/were becoming foolish.

Examples:

"Ils dégourdissaient à force de boire."

"Les enfants dégourdissaient en jouant."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

dégourdissementdé-gour-dis-se-ment

Shares the same root and prefix, exhibiting similar syllable structure and stress pattern.

dégourditdé-gour-dit

Shares the same root and prefix, demonstrating consistent syllable division rules.

dégourdisdé-gour-dis

Shares the same root and prefix, maintaining the same syllable division pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Onsets

French syllabification prioritizes maximizing the number of consonants in the onset of a syllable.

Vowel Hiatus

Vowel hiatus are generally broken into separate syllables.

Nasal Vowels

Nasal vowels form the nucleus of a syllable.

Penultimate Stress

In many French words, the stress falls on the penultimate syllable.

Special Considerations

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

The 'ss' cluster is treated as a single onset.

Nasal vowels influence syllable structure.

Regional variations in pronunciation may exist but do not significantly alter syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'dégourdissaient' is divided into five syllables: dé-gour-dis-sai-ssaient, with stress on 'dis'. It's a verb in the imperfect subjunctive, formed from the root 'gour' with prefixes and suffixes. Syllabification follows French rules prioritizing onsets and nasal vowels.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "dégourdissaient"

1. Pronunciation: The word "dégourdissaient" is pronounced approximately as /de.ɡuʁ.di.sɛ̃/.

2. Syllable Division: dé-gour-dis-sai-ssaient

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: dé- (Latin de-), indicating reversal or separation.
  • Root: gour- (Old French gourde meaning 'to swell, to be lively'), related to the idea of being energetic or animated.
  • Suffix: -dis- (Latin dis-), often used to create verbs indicating a change of state or to undo an action.
  • Suffix: -sai- (from the verb savoir), part of the imperfect subjunctive conjugation.
  • Suffix: -ssaient (from the verb être), part of the imperfect subjunctive conjugation.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: dis.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /de.ɡuʁ.di.sɛ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets, but vowel hiatus and consonant clusters can create complexities. The "ss" cluster requires careful consideration.

7. Grammatical Role: "Dégourdissaient" is the third-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "dégourdir". The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the tense or mood.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To be losing one's wits, to be becoming foolish, to be losing one's senses.
  • Translation: Were losing their senses/were becoming foolish.
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (Imperfect Subjunctive)
  • Synonyms: s'embourber, déraper, perdre la tête
  • Antonyms: raisonner, réfléchir, être lucide
  • Examples:
    • "Ils dégourdissaient à force de boire." (They were losing their senses from drinking.)
    • "Les enfants dégourdissaient en jouant." (The children were becoming foolish while playing.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "dégourdissement": dé-gour-dis-se-ment. Similar structure, stress on dis.
  • "dégourdit": dé-gour-dit. Stress on dit.
  • "dégourdis": dé-gour-dis. Stress on dis.

The consistent stress on the dis syllable across these related words reinforces the rule of penultimate stress in this morphological family. The syllable division rules are also consistent, prioritizing maximizing onsets where possible.

10. Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
/de/ Open syllable Rule: Open syllable after a vowel. None
gour /ɡuʁ/ Closed syllable Rule: Consonant cluster forms onset. The 'g' followed by 'our' is a common French sequence.
dis /di/ Open syllable Rule: Open syllable after a vowel. None
sai /sɛ̃/ Closed syllable Rule: Nasal vowel forms syllable nucleus. Nasal vowels often create unique syllable structures.
ssaient /sɛ̃/ Closed syllable Rule: Consonant cluster forms onset, followed by a nasal vowel. The 'ss' cluster is a common feature of French, and is treated as a single onset.

11. Division Rules:

  • Maximize Onsets: French generally prefers to maximize the number of consonants in the onset of a syllable.
  • Vowel Hiatus: Vowel hiatus are generally broken into separate syllables.
  • Nasal Vowels: Nasal vowels form the nucleus of a syllable.
  • Penultimate Stress: In many French words, the stress falls on the penultimate syllable.

12. Special Considerations: The "ss" cluster is a common feature of French and is treated as a single onset. The nasal vowel /ɛ̃/ in "sai" and "ssaient" influences the syllable structure.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: While the standard pronunciation is /de.ɡuʁ.di.sɛ̃/, some regional variations might slightly alter the vowel quality or the pronunciation of the 'r' sound. However, these variations do not typically affect the syllable division.

14. Short Analysis: "Dégourdissaient" is divided into five syllables: dé-gour-dis-sai-ssaient. The stress falls on "dis". The word is a verb in the imperfect subjunctive, derived from the root "gour" with prefixes and suffixes indicating reversal and conjugation. Syllabification follows French rules of maximizing onsets and considering nasal vowels.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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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.