Hyphenation ofpassepoilassent

Analysis of "passepoilassent" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "passepoilassent" is the third-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "passepoiler" (to trim, to edge with braid). It's a relatively complex word due to its compound verb structure and inflection. Pronunciation involves careful attention to liaison and vowel elision possibilities.

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 original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: passe- (Latin passus - step, passage). Function: Indicates a process of going through or over something.
• Root: poil- (Old French poil - hair, fur). Function: Relates to the material being trimmed or edged.
• Suffix: -assent (French verb ending). Function: Third-person plural imperfect subjunctive. Derived from the Latin -ant (present participle) and the subjunctive mood formation.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/pas.ə.pwal.a.sɑ̃/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

• pas: /pa/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. No exceptions.
• se: /sə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant followed by a schwa. Liaison is possible with the following syllable.
• poi: /pwal/ - Open syllable. Rule: Diphthong (oi) followed by a consonant.
• las: /la/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant.
• sent: /sɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Nasal vowel followed by a consonant. Final syllable, receives stress.

7. Edge Case Review:

The "poil" portion could potentially be analyzed as "poi-las" in some analyses, but the pronunciation strongly favors "pwal". The liaison between "se" and "poi" is common but not obligatory.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a verb form. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb's tense or mood.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: passepoilassent
• Part of Speech: Verb
• Definitions:
  • Definition: They were trimming/edging (with braid).
  • Translation: They were trimming/edging (with braid).
  • Synonyms: garnissaient, ourlaient
  • Antonyms: dégarnissaient, débraidaient
  • Examples: "Les tailleurs passepoilaient les vestes." (The tailors were trimming the jackets.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation (e.g., the "a" in "las") might exist, but they don't significantly alter the syllabification.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• passepartout: pas-se-par-tou. Similar syllable structure, final syllable stress.
• passeggiata: pas-se-dʒa-ta. Italian loanword, similar "passe-" prefix, but different stress pattern.
• poisson: pwa-sɔ̃. Shares the "poil" root, but simpler syllable structure.

The differences in syllable structure arise from the varying lengths and complexities of the suffixes and the presence of diphthongs.