Hyphenation ofsous-entendons

Analysis of "sous-entendons" (French)

1. Pronunciation:

The word "sous-entendons" is pronounced approximately as /su.z‿ɑ̃.tɑ̃.dɔ̃/. The liaison between "sous" and "entendons" is common and expected.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only the original letters, is: sou-sous-en-ten-dons

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under, below"). Function: adverbial prefix, modifying the verb.
• Root: entendre (Latin intendere meaning "to hear, to understand"). Function: verb root, meaning "to hear, to understand".
• Suffix: -ons (from Latin -mus). Function: 1st person plural present indicative verb ending.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the final syllable: dons. French stress is generally on the last syllable of a phrase or breath group.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.z‿ɑ̃.tɑ̃.dɔ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "sous" and "entendons" is a key feature. Without it, the syllabification would be slightly different. The nasal vowels /ɑ̃/ and /ɔ̃/ require careful transcription.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-entendre" is a verb. The syllabification remains consistent regardless of tense or mood, though the final suffix will change (e.g., sous-entendrez).

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To imply, to hint at, to suggest without stating directly.
• Translation: To imply, to suggest, to hint at.
• Grammatical Category: Verb (present indicative, 1st person plural)
• Synonyms: suggérer, insinuer, laisser entendre
• Antonyms: affirmer, déclarer, énoncer
• Examples:
  • "Il sous-entend qu'il est mécontent." (He implies that he is unhappy.)
  • "Elle sous-entendait qu'elle avait raison." (She was hinting that she was right.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• comprendre: com-pren-dre. Similar syllable structure, final consonant cluster. Stress on the final syllable.
• entendre: en-ten-dre. Shares the root with "sous-entendre". Stress on the final syllable.
• surprendre: sur-pren-dre. Similar syllable structure, final consonant cluster. Stress on the final syllable.

The consistent stress on the final syllable in these words is typical of French verbs. The presence of the prefix "sous-" in "sous-entendre" adds an initial syllable, but doesn't alter the stress pattern.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• sou: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. No special cases.
• sous: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. No special cases.
• en: /ɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. Nasal vowel.
• ten: /tɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. Nasal vowel.
• dons: /dɔ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. Nasal vowel. Primary stress.

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel Nucleus Rule: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound (nucleus).
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonants between vowels are generally assigned to the following syllable.
3. Liaison Rule: Liaison creates a new syllable, merging sounds across word boundaries.

Special Considerations:

• The liaison between "sous" and "entendons" is crucial for pronunciation and affects the perceived syllabification.
• Nasal vowels require specific phonetic transcription and can influence syllable perception.
• French syllable structure is relatively simple, with few consonant clusters allowed at the beginning of syllables.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /su.z‿ɑ̃.tɑ̃.dɔ̃/, some regional variations might exist in the realization of nasal vowels or the degree of liaison. However, these variations generally do not affect the core syllabification.