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Hyphenation ofmachines-outils

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ma-chi-nes-ou-tils

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

/ma.ʃin.zul/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the last syllable ('tils') of the compound noun.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

ma/ma/

Open syllable, consisting of a vowel.

chi/ʃi/

Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.

nes/nɛs/

Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.

ou/u/

Open syllable, consisting of a vowel.

tils/til/

Closed syllable, ending in a consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
machine, outil(root)
+
-s(suffix)

Prefix:

Root: machine, outil

machine (Latin machina), outil (Latin opticulum)

Suffix: -s

French plural marker

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Machine tools

Translation: Machine tools

Examples:

"L'entreprise investit dans de nouvelles machines-outils."

"Les machines-outils sont essentielles à la production."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

voitures-utilitairesvo-i-tu-res-u-ti-li-taires

Similar compound structure and vowel-consonant patterns.

pompes-tondeusespom-pes-ton-deu-ses

Demonstrates the same hyphenated compound structure and vowel-consonant alternation.

avions-cargosa-vions-car-gos

Simpler compound structure, but adheres to the principle of maximizing onsets.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable Principle

Syllables tend to be open (ending in a vowel) whenever possible.

Maximize Onsets

Consonant clusters are generally assigned to the following syllable to create a larger onset.

Vowel Clusters

Vowel clusters are typically broken up to create separate syllables.

Special Considerations

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

Silent 's' at the end of both 'machines' and 'outils'.

Hyphenated structure of the compound noun.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

“Machines-outils” is a French compound noun meaning “machine tools.” It is syllabified as ma-chi-nes-ou-tils, following the principles of maximizing onsets and creating open syllables. The stress falls on the final syllable ('tils'). The word is morphologically composed of two plural nouns, 'machines' and 'outils', both derived from Latin roots.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "machines-outils" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "machines-outils" is a compound noun in French, meaning "machine tools." It's pronounced roughly as /ma.ʃin.zul/ (though the final 's' is silent). The pronunciation is relatively straightforward, following standard French phonological rules.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and respecting vowel clusters, is as follows (using only the original letters):

ma-chi-nes-ou-tils

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • machines:
    • Prefix: None
    • Root: machine (Latin machina - "machine") - Noun, denoting a device.
    • Suffix: -s (French plural marker) - Indicates plurality.
  • outils:
    • Prefix: None
    • Root: outil (Latin opticulum - "tool") - Noun, denoting a tool.
    • Suffix: -s (French plural marker) - Indicates plurality.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. However, in compound nouns like this, the stress is often distributed, with a slight emphasis on the last syllable of each component. In this case, the primary stress is on "-tils".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ma.ʃin.zul/

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated nature of the compound noun presents a slight edge case. While treated as a single semantic unit, the syllabification respects the boundaries of the individual words. There are no significant exceptions to standard French syllabification rules here.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Machines-outils" functions exclusively as a noun (plural). The syllabification remains consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Machine tools; tools used to shape or manufacture other objects.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine plural)
  • Translation: Machine tools
  • Synonyms: Équipements industriels (industrial equipment)
  • Antonyms: Outils manuels (hand tools)
  • Examples:
    • "L'entreprise investit dans de nouvelles machines-outils." (The company is investing in new machine tools.)
    • "Les machines-outils sont essentielles à la production." (Machine tools are essential to production.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • voitures-utilitaires: vo-i-tu-res-u-ti-li-taires - Similar syllable structure, with multiple vowel-consonant patterns.
  • pompes-tondeuses: pom-pes-ton-deu-ses - Demonstrates the same hyphenated compound structure and vowel-consonant alternation.
  • avions-cargos: a-vions-car-gos - Shows a simpler compound structure, but still adheres to the principle of maximizing onsets.

The differences in syllable division arise from the specific vowel and consonant sequences within each word. French syllabification prioritizes open syllables whenever possible, leading to variations in the placement of syllable boundaries.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
ma /ma/ Open syllable, consisting of a vowel. Rule: Open syllable principle. None
chi /ʃi/ Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel. None
nes /nɛs/ Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel. Silent 's' at the end of the syllable.
ou /u/ Open syllable, consisting of a vowel. Rule: Open syllable principle. None
tils /til/ Closed syllable, ending in a consonant. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel. Silent 's' at the end of the word.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Open Syllable Principle: Syllables tend to be open (ending in a vowel) whenever possible.
  2. Maximize Onsets: Consonant clusters are generally assigned to the following syllable to create a larger onset.
  3. Vowel Clusters: Vowel clusters are typically broken up to create separate syllables.

Special Considerations:

  • The silent 's' at the end of both "machines" and "outils" is a common feature of French phonology and doesn't affect the syllabification process.
  • The hyphenated structure of the compound noun requires respecting the boundaries of the individual words during syllabification.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

There are minimal regional variations in the pronunciation of this word. However, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "ou," making it closer to /u/. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.

Short Analysis:

"Machines-outils" is a French compound noun meaning "machine tools." It is syllabified as ma-chi-nes-ou-tils, following the principles of maximizing onsets and creating open syllables. The stress falls on the final syllable ("tils"). The word is morphologically composed of two plural nouns, "machines" and "outils," both derived from Latin roots.

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.