Hyphenation ofpréétablissions

Analysis of "préétablissions"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "préétablissions" is a conjugated form of the verb "préétablir" (to pre-establish, to predetermine). It's a complex word with a prefix, a root, and multiple suffixes indicating tense and person. Pronunciation involves liaison possibilities depending on the following word.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex and involve a sonorant consonant, the division is as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: pré- (Latin prae- meaning "before"). Function: Indicates anticipation or prior action.
• Root: établ- (from Latin stabilire meaning "to establish, to make firm"). Function: Core meaning of the verb.
• Suffix: -issons (combination of -i- (linking vowel) + -ss- (3rd person plural present indicative ending). Function: Indicates the present indicative tense, 3rd person plural.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress generally falls on the last syllable of a phrase or breath group. In isolated pronunciation, the stress falls on the final syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/pʁe.z‿e.tab.li.sɔ̃/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• pré-: /pʁe/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). Exception: The 'é' is a closed mid vowel, but the syllable is still considered open due to the following consonant.
• é-: /z‿e/ - Open syllable. Rule: Liaison with the following vowel sound. The 'é' is a closed mid vowel.
• tab-: /tab/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s).
• li-: /li/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s).
• ssions: /sɔ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant(s). The nasal vowel 'ɔ̃' creates a closed syllable.

7. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between 'é' and 'établ-' is a common feature of French phonology and affects the syllabification in connected speech. The presence of the nasal vowel 'ɔ̃' in the final syllable is also a typical feature of French syllable structure.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Préétablissions" is exclusively a verb form (3rd person plural present indicative of "préétablir"). Syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb's role in a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: préétablissions
• Part of Speech: Verb
• Definitions:
  • "We were pre-establishing"
  • "We were predetermining"
• Translation: We were pre-establishing/predetermining
• Synonyms: préparions, décidions à l'avance (preparing, deciding in advance)
• Antonyms: improvisions (improvising)
• Examples:
  • "Nous préétablissions les règles du jeu." (We were pre-establishing the rules of the game.)
  • "Ils préétablissaient les conditions de la réunion." (They were predetermining the conditions of the meeting.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllabification. However, the degree of liaison can vary. Some speakers might pronounce the liaison more distinctly, while others might reduce it. This doesn't fundamentally alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• établissons: /e.tab.li.sɔ̃/ - Syllable division: é-tab-lis-sons. Similar structure, demonstrating the consistent application of vowel-consonant division.
• préparions: /pʁe.pa.ʁɔ̃/ - Syllable division: pré-pa-rions. Similar prefix structure and final syllable with a nasal vowel.
• définissions: /de.fi.ni.sɔ̃/ - Syllable division: dé-fi-nis-sions. Similar structure with a prefix, root, and the -issons ending.

The consistency in syllable division across these words highlights the rule-governed nature of French syllabification. The presence of prefixes and the -issons ending consistently leads to similar syllable structures.