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Hyphenation oframollissement

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ra-mol-lis-se-ment

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

/ʁa.mɔl.is.mɑ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00100

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('lis').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

ra/ʁa/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

mol/mɔl/

Open syllable.

lis/lis/

Closed syllable.

se/sə/

Open syllable.

ment/mɑ̃/

Closed syllable, containing a nasal vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

re-(prefix)
+
mol-(root)
+
-issement(suffix)

Prefix: re-

Latin origin, intensifying prefix.

Root: mol-

Latin *mollis* meaning 'soft'.

Suffix: -issement

French suffix derived from Latin *-imentum*, forming a noun.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The process of becoming softer; softening.

Translation: Softening

Examples:

"Le ramollissement du beurre prend du temps."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Améliorationa-mé-lio-ra-tion

Shares the suffix *-tion* and exhibits penultimate stress.

Accomplissementa-com-plis-se-ment

Shares the suffix *-ment* and exhibits penultimate stress.

Enrichissementen-ri-chis-se-ment

Shares the suffix *-ment* and exhibits penultimate stress.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Division

Syllable division occurs before each vowel sound.

Onset Maximization

French tends to maximize onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) when possible.

Special Considerations

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

The nasal vowel /ɑ̃/ in 'ment' creates a closed syllable.

The 're-' prefix can sometimes blend with the following syllable, but remains distinct here.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'ramollissement' is divided into five syllables: ra-mol-lis-se-ment. It's a noun formed from the prefix 're-', the root 'mol-', and the suffix '-issement'. Stress falls on the penultimate syllable. Syllabification follows vowel division rules and onset maximization principles.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "ramollissement"

1. Pronunciation: The word "ramollissement" is pronounced /ʁa.mɔl.is.mɑ̃/ in standard French.

2. Syllable Division: ra-mol-lis-se-ment

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: re- (Latin origin, meaning "again," "back," or intensifying). In this case, it's a prefix indicating a reversal of hardness.
  • Root: mol- (Latin mollis meaning "soft").
  • Suffix: -issement (French suffix, derived from Latin -imentum, forming a noun denoting an action or result. Here, it transforms the adjective "moll" into a noun).

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: /ʁa.mɔl.is.mɑ̃/.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ʁa.mɔl.is.mɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets, but vowel hiatus is common. Nasal vowels also influence syllabic structure.

7. Grammatical Role: "Ramollissement" is a noun. The syllabification remains consistent regardless of grammatical function, as it's a single, invariable form.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The process of becoming softer; softening.
  • Translation: Softening (English)
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
  • Synonyms: adoucissement, attendrissement
  • Antonyms: durcissement
  • Examples: "Le ramollissement du beurre prend du temps." (The softening of the butter takes time.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Amélioration: a-mé-lio-ra-tion. Similar structure with a suffix -tion. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • Accomplissement: a-com-plis-se-ment. Similar suffix -ment. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • Enrichissement: en-ri-chis-se-ment. Similar suffix -ment. Stress on the penultimate syllable.

These words all share the -ment suffix and exhibit penultimate stress, demonstrating a consistent pattern in French noun formation. The initial consonant clusters differ, influencing the initial syllable division.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

  • ra: /ʁa/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. No exceptions.
  • mol: /mɔl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. No exceptions.
  • lis: /lis/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. No exceptions.
  • se: /sə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. No exceptions.
  • ment: /mɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. No exceptions.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

  • The nasal vowel /ɑ̃/ in "ment" creates a closed syllable, even though it's followed by no consonant.
  • The "re-" prefix is often pronounced as /ʁə/ and can sometimes blend with the following syllable, but in this case, it remains distinct.

Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel Division: Syllable division occurs before each vowel sound.
  • Onset Maximization: French tends to maximize onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable) when possible.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /ʁa.mɔl.is.mɑ̃/, some regional variations might exist in the articulation of the /ʁ/ sound (uvular vs. alveolar trill). This doesn't affect the syllabification.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/13/2025

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