Hyphenation ofpoursuivissions

Analysis of "poursuivissions"

1. Pronunciation: The word "poursuivissions" is pronounced /puʁ.sɥi.vi.sjɔ̃/. It's a complex verb form, requiring careful syllabification.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants, is: pour-su-i-vis-sions.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: pour- (Latin pro-, meaning "for" or "through"). Function: Prefix indicating continuation or completion of an action.
• Root: suiv- (Latin sequi, meaning "to follow"). Function: Verb stem indicating the action of following.
• Suffix: -issions (combination of -i- (vowel insertion for euphony) and -ssions). Function: Inflectional suffix indicating the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive.

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

5. Phonetic Transcription: /puʁ.sɥi.vi.sjɔ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally avoids leaving consonants stranded at the end of a syllable. The "s" in "poursuivissions" is a good example of this.

7. Grammatical Role: "Poursuivissions" is exclusively the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "poursuivre" (to pursue). The syllabification remains consistent regardless of its grammatical function as it is a conjugated verb form.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: First-person plural imperfect subjunctive of poursuivre.
• Translation: We would pursue.
• Grammatical Category: Verb (conjugated form)
• Synonyms: (depending on context) cherchions à atteindre, essayions de suivre
• Antonyms: renoncions à, abandonnions
• Examples: Si nous pouvions, nous poursuivissions nos rêves. (If we could, we would pursue our dreams.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Commençons: com-men-çons (/kɔ.mɑ̃.sɔ̃/). Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
• Finissions: fi-nis-sions (/fi.ni.sjɔ̃/). Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
• Voyions: voy-ons (/vwa.jɔ̃/). Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.

The consistent stress pattern on the penultimate syllable in these verbs highlights a common feature of French verb conjugation. The presence of nasal vowels (like /ɔ̃/) also influences the syllabic weight and pronunciation.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• pour: /puʁ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are broken to create an onset for the following syllable. Exception: The 'r' is a rhotic consonant and can form part of the onset.
• su: /sy/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant.
• i: /i/ - Open syllable. Rule: Single vowel constitutes a syllable.
• vis: /vi/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant. Primary stress.
• sions: /sjɔ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a nasal vowel. The 's' is part of the onset.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Maximize Onsets: French prefers to maximize the number of syllables with onsets (consonant sounds at the beginning).
2. Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are generally not left at the end of a syllable unless they are part of a consonant cluster that cannot be broken without violating phonotactic constraints.
3. Vowel as Syllable Nucleus: Each syllable must have a vowel sound as its nucleus.

Special Considerations:

• The "i" between "su" and "vis" is an insertion for euphony, common in French verb conjugations. It doesn't affect the core syllabification rules but is a morphological feature.
• The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ in "sions" influences the syllable's weight and pronunciation.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /puʁ.sɥi.vi.sjɔ̃/, some regional variations might exhibit slight differences in vowel quality or the pronunciation of the "r" sound. However, these variations generally do not alter the syllable division.