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Hyphenation ofrecommençaient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

re-com-men-ça-ient

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

/ʁə.kɔ.mɑ̃.sə.jɛ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

Primary stress falls on the final syllable /jɛ̃/.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

re/ʁə/

Open syllable, vowel nucleus is 'e'

com/kɔ/

Open syllable, vowel nucleus is 'o'

men/mɑ̃/

Closed syllable with nasal vowel 'ɑ̃'

ça/sə/

Open syllable, vowel nucleus is 'a'

ient/jɛ̃/

Closed syllable with nasal vowel 'ɛ̃'

Morphemic Breakdown

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

re-(prefix)
+
commen-(root)
+
-çaient(suffix)

Prefix: re-

Latin origin, indicates repetition

Root: commen-

Latin origin (commencare), meaning 'to begin'

Suffix: -çaient

French suffix, imperfect indicative third-person plural

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To begin again, to restart.

Translation: Were beginning again

Examples:

"Ils recommençaient à travailler après la pause."

"Les enfants recommençaient à rire."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

commençaitcom-men-çait

Similar root and suffix structure, stress pattern.

recommencerre-com-men-cer

Shares the same prefix and root, similar stress pattern.

commençaientcom-men-çaient

Similar suffix structure and stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Nucleus Rule

Each syllable must contain a vowel nucleus.

Maximize Onsets Rule

Consonant clusters are generally kept together in the onset of a syllable.

Nasal Vowel Rule

Nasal vowels create closed syllables.

Special Considerations

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

The 'r' sound can sometimes be syllabic, but here it's part of an open syllable.

Nasal vowels influence syllable structure.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'recommençaient' is divided into five syllables: re-com-men-ça-ient. It consists of the prefix 're-', the root 'commen-', and the suffix '-çaient'. Stress falls on the final syllable. Syllabification follows the vowel nucleus rule, maximizing onsets, and accounting for nasal vowels.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "recommençaient"

1. Pronunciation: The word "recommençaient" is pronounced /ʁə.kɔ.mɑ̃.sə.jɛ̃/ in standard French.

2. Syllable Division: re-com-men-çaient

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: re- (Latin) - Indicates repetition or resumption of an action.
  • Root: commen- (Latin commencare) - To begin, to start.
  • Suffix: -çaient (French) - Imperfect indicative ending for the third-person plural of verbs. Derived from the Latin -bant.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the final syllable: /ʁə.kɔ.mɑ̃.sə.jɛ̃/.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ʁə.kɔ.mɑ̃.sə.jɛ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets, but vowel hiatus and nasal vowels introduce complexities. The presence of the nasal vowel /ɑ̃/ influences the preceding syllable's structure.

7. Grammatical Role: "Recommençaient" is the third-person plural imperfect indicative of the verb "recommencer" (to begin again). The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb tense.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To be beginning again, to restart.
  • Translation: Were beginning again.
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (Imperfect Indicative)
  • Synonyms: reprenaient, continuaient
  • Antonyms: terminaient, achevaient
  • Examples:
    • "Ils recommençaient à travailler après la pause." (They were starting to work again after the break.)
    • "Les enfants recommençaient à rire." (The children were beginning to laugh again.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • commençait: com-men-çait - Similar structure, stress on the final syllable.
  • recommencer: re-com-men-cer - Stress on the final syllable, similar prefix and root structure.
  • commençaient: com-men-çaient - Stress on the final syllable, similar suffix structure.

The syllable division in all three words follows the same pattern, prioritizing consonant clusters within syllables and placing stress on the final syllable. The presence of the prefix "re-" in "recommencer" and "recommençaient" doesn't alter the core syllabification rules applied to the root.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

  • re-: /ʁə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. Exception: The 'r' sound can sometimes form a syllable on its own, but here it's part of the open syllable.
  • com-: /kɔ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.
  • men-: /mɑ̃/ - Closed syllable with a nasal vowel. Rule: Nasal vowels create closed syllables. Exception: Nasal vowels can sometimes influence the preceding syllable's structure.
  • ça-: /sə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.
  • ient: /jɛ̃/ - Closed syllable with a nasal vowel. Rule: Nasal vowels create closed syllables.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

  • The 'r' sound in "re-" can sometimes be considered a syllabic consonant, but in this case, it's part of an open syllable.
  • Nasal vowels influence syllable structure, creating closed syllables.

Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel Nucleus Rule: Each syllable must contain a vowel nucleus.
  • Maximize Onsets Rule: Consonant clusters are generally kept together in the onset of a syllable.
  • Nasal Vowel Rule: Nasal vowels create closed syllables.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/13/2025

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