Hyphenation ofobscurcissaient

Analysis of "obscurcissaient"

1. Pronunciation: The word "obscurcissaient" is pronounced /ɔpskyʁ.si.sɛ̃/ in standard French.

2. Syllable Division: ob-scur-cis-sai-ent

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: ob- (Latin, meaning "against," "toward," or "completely") - functions as a prefix modifying the verb.
• Root: scur- (Latin scurus, meaning "dark") - the base of the verb, denoting darkness.
• Suffix: -cir- (Latin circare, meaning "to surround") - part of the verb stem, indicating a circular or iterative action.
• Suffix: -sse- (French imperfect subjunctive marker) - indicates the imperfect subjunctive mood.
• Suffix: -ient (French 3rd person plural imperfect indicative/subjunctive ending) - indicates the 3rd person plural subject and the imperfect tense.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: cis.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ɔpskyʁ.si.sɛ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllable structure generally avoids consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables. However, "scur" is a common exception due to its Latin origin.

7. Grammatical Role: "obscurcissaient" is the 3rd person plural imperfect indicative/subjunctive of the verb "obscurcir" (to darken). Syllabification remains consistent regardless of tense or mood.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To darken, to obscure, to make less clear.
• Translation: Were darkening, were obscuring.
• Grammatical Category: Verb (Imperfect Indicative/Subjunctive)
• Synonyms: assombrissaient, noircissaient, voilaient
• Antonyms: éclaircissaient, dégagissaient
• Examples:
  • "Les nuages obscurcissaient le soleil." (The clouds were darkening the sun.)
  • "Les souvenirs obscurcissaient son jugement." (The memories were obscuring his judgment.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "obscurcissement" (darkening): ob-scur-cis-se-ment. Similar syllable structure, with the addition of "-ment". Stress remains on the penultimate syllable.
• "circuler" (to circulate): cir-cu-ler. Shares the "-cir-" root. Stress on the first syllable.
• "sécuriser" (to secure): sé-cu-ri-ser. Similar consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable. Stress on the antepenultimate syllable.

Syllable Breakdown Details:

• ob-: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel sound. Exception: Initial consonant clusters are permitted, especially those of Latin origin.
• scur-: Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters can form the syllable coda (final consonant(s)). Exception: The "sc-" cluster is common despite violating the typical French syllable structure.
• cis-: Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters can form the syllable coda.
• sai-: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel sound.
• ent-: Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel sound, but the final 't' is pronounced in liaison.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

• The "sc-" cluster at the beginning of "scur" is a common exception to the rule against initial consonant clusters.
• The final "t" in "ent" is often silent, but can be pronounced in liaison with a following vowel.

Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally divided around vowel sounds.
• Consonant Cluster Accommodation: Consonant clusters are maintained within syllables when possible, even if they violate typical French syllable structure (e.g., "scur").
• Morpheme Boundaries: Syllable divisions often align with morpheme boundaries, but this is not a strict rule.