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Hyphenation ofempoisonnassent

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

em-poi-son-nas-sent

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

/ɑ̃.pwaz.ɔ̃.na.sɑ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

Stress falls on the final syllable '-sent', 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

em/ɑ̃/

Open syllable, containing a nasal vowel. Initial syllable.

poi/pwa/

Open syllable, containing a diphthong. Follows the prefix.

son/sɔ̃/

Closed syllable, containing a nasal vowel. Part of the root.

nas/na/

Open syllable, part of the inflectional suffix. Precedes the final syllable.

sent/sɑ̃/

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

Morphemic Breakdown

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

em-(prefix)
+
poison-(root)
+
-nassent(suffix)

Prefix: em-

Latin origin, intensifying prefix.

Root: poison-

Latin origin, meaning 'drink' then 'poison'.

Suffix: -nassent

Imperfect subjunctive ending, combining inflectional morphemes.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

They were poisoning / They would poison

Translation: They were poisoning / They would poison

Examples:

"Si j'avais su qu'ils l'empoisonnaient, je l'aurais empêché."

Synonyms: empoisonnaient
Antonyms: guérissaient
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

raisonnementrai-son-ne-ment

Similar nasal vowel structure and inflectional endings.

transmissiontrans-mis-sion

Similar consonant clusters and vowel patterns.

passionnémentpas-sion-né-ment

Demonstrates typical French final syllable stress.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllables

Syllables ending in a vowel sound are generally open.

Consonant Clusters

Consonant clusters are generally kept together unless they are difficult to pronounce or are between vowels.

Vowel Groupings

Vowel groupings (diphthongs, triphthongs) are treated as a single syllable.

Final Syllable Stress

Stress typically falls on the final syllable in French.

Special Considerations

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

The consonant cluster '-ss-' could potentially be divided, but is kept together due to French phonological rules.

Nasal vowels require careful consideration in syllable division.

Liaison possibilities in connected speech could affect pronunciation but not syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'empoisonnassent' is divided into five syllables: em-poi-son-nas-sent. The final syllable '-sent' is stressed. The word is a verb form (imperfect subjunctive) derived from the root 'poison' with prefixes and suffixes. Syllable division follows French rules prioritizing vowel sounds and maintaining consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "empoisonnassent" (French)

1. Pronunciation & Initial Examination:

The word "empoisonnassent" is the third-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "empoisonner" (to poison). It's a relatively complex word due to the multiple suffixes and consonant clusters. The pronunciation involves nasal vowels and liaison possibilities.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters where possible, the division is as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: em- (Latin origin, intensifying prefix, similar to en- in modern French)
  • Root: poison- (Latin potionem, meaning 'drink', evolving to 'poison')
  • Suffix: -n- (inflectional, part of the imperfect subjunctive ending)
  • Suffix: -ass- (inflectional, part of the imperfect subjunctive ending, linking stem to person/number)
  • Suffix: -ent (inflectional, third-person plural ending)

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɑ̃.pwaz.ɔ.nɑ.sɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "-ss-" presents a potential point of division, but French generally keeps these together unless they are between vowels. The nasal vowels /ɑ̃/ also require careful consideration.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a verb form. Syllabification doesn't significantly shift based on grammatical role, as it's a conjugated verb.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: They were poisoning / They would poison (subjunctive mood).
  • Part of Speech: Verb (Imperfect Subjunctive)
  • Translation: They were poisoning / They would poison
  • Synonyms: empoisonnaient (imperfect indicative - more common)
  • Antonyms: guérissaient (they were healing)
  • Examples: "Si j'avais su qu'ils l'empoisonnaient, je l'aurais empêché." (If I had known they were poisoning him, I would have stopped them.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "raisonnement" (/ʁɛ.zɔ̃.mɑ̃/): Similar nasal vowel structure, but different consonant clusters. Syllable division: rai-son-ne-ment.
  • "transmission" (/tʁɑ̃s.mi.sjɔ̃/): Another word with nasal vowels and consonant clusters. Syllable division: trans-mis-sion.
  • "passionnément" (/pa.sjɔ.ne.mɑ̃/): Demonstrates the typical final syllable stress. Syllable division: pas-sion-né-ment.

These comparisons show that French tends to divide syllables around vowel sounds, even within complex consonant clusters. The final syllable is consistently stressed.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

There are minimal regional variations in the pronunciation of this word. Liaison between the 'n' of "empoisonnassent" and a following vowel sound is possible in connected speech.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Rule 1: Open Syllables: Syllables ending in a vowel sound are generally open (e.g., "po-" in "empoisonnassent").
  • Rule 2: Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally kept together unless they are difficult to pronounce or are between vowels (e.g., "-ss-" in "empoisonnassent").
  • Rule 3: Vowel Groupings: Vowel groupings (diphthongs, triphthongs) are treated as a single syllable (not applicable here).
  • Rule 4: Final Syllable Stress: Stress typically falls on the final 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.