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Hyphenation ofnon-engagements

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

non-en-ga-ge-ments

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

/nɔ̃.t‿ɑ̃.ɡaʒ.mɑ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

Stress falls on the final syllable '-ments'. French stress is generally less prominent than in English.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

non/nɔ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel. Contains the prefix 'non'.

en/ɑ̃/

Open syllable, nasal vowel. Part of the root 'engage'.

ga/ɡa/

Open syllable, part of the root 'engage'.

ge/ʒə/

Open syllable, part of the root 'engage'.

ments/mɑ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel. Contains the suffix '-ments'.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

non-(prefix)
+
engage(root)
+
-ments(suffix)

Prefix: non-

Latin origin, negation.

Root: engage

Old French 'engager', Latin 'in-gagare', meaning 'to pledge'.

Suffix: -ments

Latin origin, forms a noun from a verb.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Absence of commitments or undertakings.

Translation: Non-commitments, lack of engagements

Examples:

"Ses non-engagements ont déçu ses partenaires."

"Le projet a échoué à cause des non-engagements financiers."

Antonyms: engagements
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

départementsdé-par-te-ments

Similar syllable structure with nasal vowels and consonant clusters.

arrangementsar-ran-ge-ments

Shares the '-ments' suffix and final stress.

investissementsin-ves-tis-se-ments

Another noun ending in '-ments' with a similar stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Rule

Syllables are generally divided around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound typically forms the nucleus of a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable (e.g., a single consonant between two vowels).

Liaison Rule

Liaison between 'non' and 'engagements' is considered, but does not alter the written syllable division.

Special Considerations

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

The liaison between 'non' and 'engagements' is a phonetic feature that doesn't affect the orthographic syllable division.

The word is exclusively a noun, so there are no syllabification shifts based on grammatical function.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'non-engagements' is divided into five syllables: non-en-ga-ge-ments. It consists of the prefix 'non-', the root 'engage', and the suffix '-ments'. Stress falls on the final syllable '-ments'. Syllabification follows French vowel-based rules, maintaining consonant clusters and acknowledging the liaison between 'non' and 'engagements'.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "non-engagements" (French)

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "non-engagements" presents challenges due to the nasal vowel, liaison possibilities, and the presence of multiple consonants. French syllable structure generally favors open syllables (ending in a vowel), but consonant clusters are common, especially in derived words.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are easily separable, the division is as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: non- (Latin origin, meaning 'not'). Morphological function: negation.
  • Root: engage- (from Old French engager, ultimately from Latin in-gagare meaning 'to pledge, to engage'). Morphological function: core meaning of involvement or commitment.
  • Suffix: -ments (Latin origin, from mentum). Morphological function: forms a noun from a verb, indicating the result of the action.

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 "non-engagements", the stress falls on the final syllable, "-ments".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/nɔ̃.t‿ɑ̃.ɡaʒ.mɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between non- and engagements is a crucial consideration. The 'n' sound from non- is pronounced before the vowel sound in engagements in standard French. This liaison affects the syllabification and phonetic realization.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Non-engagements" is exclusively a noun, meaning "non-commitments" or "lack of commitments". The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Absence of commitments or undertakings.
  • Translation: Non-commitments, lack of engagements.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine plural)
  • Synonyms: désengagements (disengagements), absences d'engagement (absences of commitment)
  • Antonyms: engagements (commitments)
  • Examples:
    • "Ses non-engagements ont déçu ses partenaires." (His non-commitments disappointed his partners.)
    • "Le projet a échoué à cause des non-engagements financiers." (The project failed due to the lack of financial commitments.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "départements" (/de.paʁ.tə.mɑ̃/): Similar syllable structure with nasal vowels and consonant clusters. Stress on the final syllable.
  • "arrangements" (/a.ʁɑ̃.ʒə.mɑ̃/): Shares the "-ments" suffix and final stress.
  • "investissements" (/ɛ̃.vɛ.tis.mɑ̃/): Another example of a noun ending in "-ments" with a similar stress pattern and nasal vowels.

The differences in syllable division arise from the initial consonant clusters and the presence of the prefix non- in "non-engagements".

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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