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Hyphenation ofsous-entendraient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

sous-en-ten-draient

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

/su.z‿ɑ̃.tɑ̃.dʁe.jɛ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0001

Stress falls on the final syllable '-draient', as is typical in French. The other syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

sous/su/

Open syllable, containing a vowel sound. No consonant clusters.

en/ɑ̃/

Open syllable, containing a nasal vowel. No consonant clusters.

ten/tɑ̃/

Closed syllable, containing a nasal vowel and a consonant cluster 'tn'. The 'n' closes the syllable.

draient/dʁe.jɛ̃/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel, a consonant, and a nasal vowel. The 'r' is part of the syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

sous(prefix)
+
entendre(root)
+
aient(suffix)

Prefix: sous

From Latin 'sub-', meaning 'under, below'. Functions as an intensifier.

Root: entendre

From Latin 'audire', meaning 'to hear'. The core meaning of the verb.

Suffix: aient

Imperfect subjunctive ending, indicating tense, mood, and person/number (3rd person plural).

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To be implying, to be hinting at (in the past, hypothetical situation).

Translation: They would imply/hint at.

Examples:

"Ils sous-entendraient qu'ils étaient insatisfaits."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

commenteraientcom-men-te-raient

Similar verb structure with a root and inflectional suffix. Final syllable stress.

présenteraientpré-sen-te-raient

Similar prefix structure and verb conjugation. Final syllable stress.

diraientdi-raient

Simpler verb form, but still exhibiting final syllable stress.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Syllabification

Syllables generally end in vowel sounds. Each vowel sound forms the nucleus of a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Maintenance

Consonant clusters are maintained unless they are difficult to pronounce together. In 'ten', the 'tn' cluster is preserved.

Final Syllable Stress

French generally stresses the final syllable of a phrase or breath group.

Special Considerations

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

Liaison between 'sous' and 'entendraient' is common and expected.

The nasal vowels /ɑ̃/ and /ɛ̃/ require careful articulation.

The 'r' sound in 'draient' is a key feature of French pronunciation.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'sous-entendraient' is divided into four syllables: sous-en-ten-draient. It's a verb form (imperfect subjunctive) composed of the prefix 'sous-', the root 'entendre', and the suffix '-aient'. Stress falls on the final syllable. Syllabification follows vowel-based rules and maintains consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "sous-entendraient"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "sous-entendraient" is the third-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "sous-entendre" (to imply, to hint at). Its pronunciation involves nasal vowels, liaison possibilities, and a complex verb conjugation.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under, below"). Function: Intensifier, modifying the verb's meaning.
  • Root: entendre (Latin audire meaning "to hear"). Function: Core meaning of perception.
  • Suffix: -aient (imperfect subjunctive ending). Function: Grammatical marker indicating tense, mood, and person/number.

4. Stress Identification:

French generally has stress on the final syllable of a phrase or breath group. In this case, the final syllable "-aient" receives the primary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.z‿ɑ̃.tɑ̃.dʁe.jɛ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "sous" and "entendraient" is common and expected in standard French. The nasal vowels /ɑ̃/ and /ɛ̃/ require careful articulation.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a verb form. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of its function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To be implying, to be hinting at (in the past, hypothetical situation).
  • Translation: They would imply/hint at.
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (Imperfect Subjunctive, 3rd person plural)
  • Synonyms: suggéraient, laissaient entendre
  • Antonyms: affirmaient, déclaraient
  • Examples: "Ils sous-entendraient qu'ils étaient insatisfaits." (They were implying they were dissatisfied.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "commenteraient": com-men-te-raient. Similar structure with a verb root and inflectional suffix. Stress on the final syllable.
  • "présenteraient": pré-sen-te-raient. Similar prefix structure and verb conjugation. Stress on the final syllable.
  • "diraient": di-raient. A simpler verb form, but still exhibiting final syllable stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

  • sous: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels. No consonant clusters to break.
  • en: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels.
  • ten: Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained unless they are difficult to pronounce.
  • draient: Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels. The 'r' is part of the syllable.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/6/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.