Hyphenation ofirrétrécissable

Linguistic Analysis of "irrétrécissable" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "irrétrécissable" is a French adjective meaning "irreversible" or "unalterable." It's a relatively complex word, built from multiple morphemes. Pronunciation involves careful attention to liaison and elision rules, as well as the nasal vowel sounds common in French.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: ir- (Latin in-) - Negative prefix, meaning "not."
• Root: rétrécir (Latin retrahere) - To draw back, to contract, to reduce.
• Suffix: -issable (French suffix) - Forms adjectives from verbs, indicating possibility or capability. Derived from –is- (from Latin -ibilis) + -able (French adjective suffix).

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. However, in polysyllabic words, the stress is less prominent than in languages like English. In this case, the stress falls on the final syllable: "-ble".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/i.ʁe.tʁe.si.sabl/

6. Edge Case Review:

The sequence "tr" is a common initial consonant cluster in French and is generally treated as a single unit within a syllable. The "ré" sequence is a typical French vowel combination.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Irrétrécissable" primarily functions as an adjective. Its syllabification and stress pattern remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Incapable of being revoked, reversed, or undone.
• Translation: Irreversible, unalterable, final.
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: définitif (definitive), inéluctable (inevitable), sans retour (without return)
• Antonyms: réversible (reversible), modifiable (modifiable)
• Examples:
  • "La décision est irrétrécissable." (The decision is irreversible.)
  • "Un engagement irrétrécissable." (An irrevocable commitment.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• invincible: /ɛ̃.vɛ̃.si.bl/ - Syllable structure: in-vin-ci-ble. Similar ending "-ble" but different initial consonant clusters.
• irrévocable: /i.ʁe.vɔ.kab/ - Syllable structure: ir-ré-vo-ca-ble. Shares the "ir-" prefix and "-able" suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification patterns.
• impassible: /ɛ̃.pa.si.bl/ - Syllable structure: im-pas-si-ble. Similar ending "-ble" and prefix structure.

10. Division Rules:

• Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable unless they can be easily separated by a vowel sound.
• Final Syllable Rule: The final syllable often contains the stress and is formed around the last vowel sound.

11. Special Considerations:

The "tr" cluster is treated as a single onset. The "ré" diphthong is a single vowel sound for syllabification purposes.