Hyphenation ofsous-épidermique

Analysis of "sous-épidermique"

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "sous-épidermique" presents challenges due to the liaison possibilities and the presence of the hyphenated prefix "sous-". French syllable structure generally favors open syllables (ending in a vowel) but allows for closed syllables (ending in a consonant), particularly in complex words.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are pronounceable as separate syllables, the division is as follows (detailed in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Latin origin, meaning "under," "beneath"). Morphological function: adverbial/prepositional prefix modifying the root.
• Root: épiderme (Greek origin, epi- "upon" + derma "skin"). Morphological function: noun, referring to the outer layer of skin.
• Suffix: -ique (Latin origin, forming adjectives). Morphological function: adjectival suffix, indicating "relating to" or "of the nature of."

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. However, in multi-syllabic words, there's a tendency for a weaker stress on the penultimate syllable. In this case, the primary stress falls on the final syllable, "-mique".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.z‿e.pi.dɛʁ.mik/

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated prefix "sous-" requires careful consideration. While it's written as a separate element, it often functions phonetically as a single prosodic unit, potentially influencing the syllabification of the following syllable. The liaison between "sous" and "épidermique" is common and affects the phonetic realization.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-épidermique" functions primarily as an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Relating to or situated beneath the epidermis.
• English Translation: Subepidermal
• Grammatical Category: Adjective
• Synonyms: sous-cutané (subcutaneous), profond (deep)
• Antonyms: épidermique (epidermal), superficiel (superficial)
• Examples:
  • "Une injection sous-épidermique." (A subepidermal injection.)
  • "Les tissus sous-épidermiques." (The subepidermal tissues.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• économique: /e.ko.nɔ.mik/ - Syllable division: é-co-no-mique. Similar stress pattern (final syllable).
• chimique: /ʃi.mik/ - Syllable division: chi-mique. Similar suffix and stress pattern.
• magnétique: /ma.ɲe.tik/ - Syllable division: ma-gné-tique. Similar suffix and stress pattern, but with a more complex consonant cluster.

The differences in syllable division arise from the varying consonant clusters and vowel sequences within each word. French syllabification aims to maximize open syllables, leading to different divisions based on these phonetic constraints.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is as transcribed above, some regional variations might exist in the realization of vowel sounds or the degree of liaison. However, these variations generally do not significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel Peak Rule: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.
• Onset-Rime Rule: Syllables are divided into an onset (initial consonant(s)) and a rime (vowel and any following consonants).
• Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they can be easily separated phonetically.
• Liaison Rule: Liaison between words can affect the syllabification of the following syllable.