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Hyphenation ofdésemprisonnent

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-sem-pri-son-nent

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

/de.zɑ̃.pʁi.zɔ̃.n/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

Stress falls on the last syllable '-nent', which is typical for French verbs.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, no special features.

sem/zɑ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel, 's' pronounced /z/ due to voicing.

pri/pʁi/

Open syllable, consonant cluster 'pr' remains intact.

son/zɔ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel, closed by 'n'.

nent/n/

Open syllable, inflectional ending.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
emprison-(root)
+
-nent(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, meaning 'removal', 'reversal'. Negation or reversal of action.

Root: emprison-

From *emprisonner*, ultimately from Latin *imprēssiōnāre* - to imprison. Core meaning of the verb.

Suffix: -nent

Latin origin, from *habent* - they have. Third-person plural present indicative verb ending.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

to release from prison

Translation: to release, to free

Examples:

"Les gardiens désemprisonnent les prisonniers politiques."

"Ils désemprisonnent les oiseaux captifs."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

emprisonnere-m-pri-son-ner

Shares the root 'prison-' and similar syllable structure.

désemparerdé-sem-pa-rer

Shares the prefix 'dé-' and similar vowel-based syllabification.

comprendrecom-pren-dre

Demonstrates handling of consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Nucleus Rule

Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. Each syllable must have a vowel nucleus.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are maintained unless they are complex or violate French phonotactic constraints.

Final Consonant Rule

Consonants at the end of a syllable close the syllable.

Special Considerations

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

Liaison potential with following vowels.

Nasal vowel pronunciation variations based on regional accents.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'désemprisonnent' is divided into five syllables based on vowel sounds. It consists of the prefix 'dé-', the root 'emprison-', and the suffix '-nent'. Stress falls on the final syllable. Syllabification follows standard French rules prioritizing vowel nuclei and maintaining permissible consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "désemprisonnent" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "désemprisonnent" is a verb in the third-person plural present indicative. It's pronounced roughly as /dezɑ̃pʁizɔ̃n/. The pronunciation involves nasal vowels and a liaison potential with following words beginning with a vowel.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: dé- (Latin origin, meaning 'removal', 'reversal'). Morphological function: negation or reversal of the action.
  • Root: emprison- (from emprisonner, ultimately from Latin imprēssiōnāre - to imprison). Morphological function: core meaning of the verb.
  • Suffix: -nent (Latin origin, from habent - they have). Morphological function: third-person plural present indicative verb ending.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/de.zɑ̃.pʁi.zɔ̃.n/

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: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. No consonant clusters to break. Exception: None.
  • sem: /zɑ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'ɑ̃' forms the nucleus. The 's' is pronounced as /z/ due to the following voiced consonant. Exception: Liaison potential with a following vowel.
  • pri: /pʁi/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'i' forms the nucleus. The consonant cluster 'pr' remains intact as it's a common and permissible initial cluster in French. Exception: None.
  • son: /zɔ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Nasal vowel 'ɔ̃' forms the nucleus. The 'n' closes the syllable. Exception: None.
  • nent: /n/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'e' forms the nucleus. The 'n' is part of the inflectional ending. Exception: None.

7. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "pr" is a common initial cluster in French and doesn't require separation. The nasal vowels 'ɑ̃' and 'ɔ̃' are typical of French and don't pose syllabification challenges.

8. Grammatical Role:

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

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: désemprisonnent
  • Part of Speech: Verb
  • Definitions:
    • "to release from prison"
    • "to free"
  • Translation: "they release," "they free"
  • Synonyms: libèrent, affranchissent
  • Antonyms: emprisonnent, incarcèrent
  • Examples:
    • "Les gardiens désemprisonnent les prisonniers politiques." (The guards are releasing the political prisoners.)
    • "Ils désemprisonnent les oiseaux captifs." (They are freeing the captive birds.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

There are minimal regional variations in the pronunciation of this word. However, the degree of nasalization in the vowels 'ɑ̃' and 'ɔ̃' can vary slightly depending on the speaker's accent. This doesn't affect the syllabification.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • emprisonner: e-m-pri-son-ner. Similar syllable structure, demonstrating the consistent treatment of 'pr' and final 'er'.
  • désemparer: dé-sem-pa-rer. Similar prefix 'dé-' and vowel-based syllabification.
  • comprendre: com-pren-dre. Demonstrates the handling of consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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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.