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Hyphenation ofrévolutionnaire

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ré-vo-lu-si-on-naire

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

/ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjɔ.nɛʁ/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

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Stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('naire') as the final syllable contains a schwa.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/ʁe/

Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.

vo/vɔ/

Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.

lu/ly/

Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.

si/sjɔ/

Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.

on/nɛʁ/

Open syllable, vowel-initial, unstressed.

naire/nɛʁ/

Open syllable, vowel-initial, stressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

ré-(prefix)
+
volution(root)
+
-naire(suffix)

Prefix: ré-

Latin origin, intensifier.

Root: volution

Latin origin, related to turning/change.

Suffix: -naire

Latin origin, forms an adjective.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Relating to or characteristic of a revolution.

Translation: Revolutionary

Examples:

"une idée révolutionnaire"

noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A person who advocates or participates in a revolution.

Translation: Revolutionary

Examples:

"un révolutionnaire convaincu"

Synonyms: insurgé
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

ordinateuror-di-na-teur

Similar vowel-consonant alternation and final stress.

universitaireu-ni-vɛʁ-si-tɛʁ

Similar syllable structure with a final schwa and penultimate stress.

particulièrementpaʁ-ti-ky-ljɛʁ-mɑ̃

Similar vowel-consonant alternation, though with more complex consonant clusters.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Initial Syllable

Each vowel sound initiates a new syllable.

Avoid Consonant Clusters

French syllabification generally avoids breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex.

Special Considerations

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

The 'ré-' prefix is an exception to the rule against initial consonant clusters.

The 'sion' cluster is treated as a single unit for syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'révolutionnaire' is divided into six syllables: ré-vo-lu-si-on-naire. Stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('naire'). The word is morphologically complex, with a Latin-derived prefix, root, and suffix. Syllabification follows the rule of vowel-initial syllables, with exceptions for the 'ré-' prefix and 'sion' cluster.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "révolutionnaire"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "révolutionnaire" (revolutionary) is a French adjective and noun. Its pronunciation involves nasal vowels and a final schwa, common features of French phonology.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex, the word divides as follows (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: ré- (Latin re- meaning "again, back"). Function: Intensifier, often indicating repetition or reversal.
  • Root: volution (from Latin volutio meaning "rolling, turning"). Function: Core meaning related to turning or change.
  • Suffix: -naire (Latin -arius). Function: Forms an adjective denoting someone or something connected with the root.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the final syllable of a word or phrase. However, in words ending in a schwa (like "e" in this case), the stress falls on the penultimate syllable. Therefore, the stress falls on "-naire".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjɔ.nɛʁ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The "sion" cluster can sometimes be a point of variation, but in this case, it's treated as a single unit due to the preceding vowel and the overall flow of the word.

7. Grammatical Role:

As an adjective, the stress remains on the penultimate syllable. As a noun, the stress remains the same. There are no significant syllabification or stress shifts based on grammatical role.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A person who advocates or participates in a revolution; relating to or characteristic of a revolution.
  • Translation: Revolutionary
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective, Noun (masculine)
  • Synonyms: progressiste, radical, insurgé
  • Antonyms: conservateur, réactionnaire
  • Examples: "un révolutionnaire convaincu" (a convinced revolutionary); "une idée révolutionnaire" (a revolutionary idea).

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • ordinateur: o-ʁdi-na-tœʁ - Similar syllable structure with vowel-consonant alternation. Stress on the final syllable.
  • universitaire: u-ni-vɛʁ-si-tɛʁ - Similar syllable structure, with a final schwa. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • particulièrement: paʁ-ti-ky-ljɛʁ-mɑ̃ - More complex syllable structure due to the consonant clusters, but still follows the rule of stress on the final syllable (or penultimate if the final syllable is a schwa).

10. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

  • ré-: /ʁe/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and ending with a consonant. Rule: Every vowel sound initiates a syllable.
  • vo-: /vɔ/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and ending with a consonant. Rule: Every vowel sound initiates a syllable.
  • lu-: /ly/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and ending with a consonant. Rule: Every vowel sound initiates a syllable.
  • si-: /sjɔ/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and ending with a consonant. Rule: Every vowel sound initiates a syllable.
  • on-: /nɛʁ/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and ending with a consonant. Rule: Every vowel sound initiates a syllable.
  • naire: /nɛʁ/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and ending with a consonant. Rule: Every vowel sound initiates a syllable. Stress falls on this syllable.

11. Exceptions & Special Cases:

The French language generally avoids consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables. However, the "ré-" prefix is a common exception. The "sion" cluster is also a common occurrence and is treated as a single unit for syllabification.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjɔ.nɛʁ/, some regional variations might exist in the pronunciation of the "r" sound (e.g., uvular vs. alveolar trill). These variations do not significantly affect the syllabification.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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