Hyphenation ofsous-entendîmes

Analysis of "sous-entendîmes"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "sous-entendîmes" is the first-person plural past historic (or preterite) form of the verb "sous-entendre" (to imply, to hint). Its pronunciation involves nasal vowels, liaison possibilities, and a final schwa that may be elided in rapid speech.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex, the division is as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under, below"). Function: Intensifier, modifying the verb's meaning.
• Root: entend- (from Old French entendre, ultimately from Latin intendere meaning "to stretch the mind towards, to listen to, to understand"). Function: Core meaning of perceiving or understanding.
• Suffix: -îmes (from Latin -imus). Function: First-person plural past historic ending.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress in French generally falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. However, in verb conjugations, the stress is often less pronounced and more evenly distributed. In this case, the stress is on the final syllable "-mes".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.z‿ɑ̃.tɑ̃.dim/ (Note: the liaison between sous and entend is represented by the '‿' symbol. The nasal vowels are represented with the appropriate diacritics.)

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• sous: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes the nucleus of a syllable. No consonant clusters prevent division.
• en: /ɑ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes the nucleus of a syllable.
• ten: /tɑ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes the nucleus of a syllable.
• di: /di/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes the nucleus of a syllable.
• mes: /mɛ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound constitutes the nucleus of a syllable.

7. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "sous" and "entend" is a common feature of French phonology. The pronunciation can vary depending on the speaker and the speed of speech. The final "-es" is often silent, but it influences the stress pattern.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-entendre" can function as a verb. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of the grammatical context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To imply, to hint at something without stating it directly.
• Translation: To imply, to hint at.
• Part of Speech: Verb (past historic, first-person plural)
• Synonyms: suggérer, insinuer, laisser entendre
• Antonyms: affirmer, déclarer, énoncer
• Examples:
  • "Il sous-entendait qu'il était mécontent." (He was implying that he was unhappy.)
  • "Elle sous-entendîmes qu'elle ne viendrait pas." (She hinted that she wouldn't come.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllabification. However, the degree of liaison and the elision of the final schwa can vary. Some speakers might pronounce the final "-es" more distinctly.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• comprendre: /kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃dʁ/ - Syllables: com-pren-dre. Similar structure with nasal vowels.
• entendre: /ɑ̃.tɑ̃dʁ/ - Syllables: en-ten-dre. Shares the root "entend" and similar syllabic structure.
• sous-écrire: /su.z‿e.kʁiʁ/ - Syllables: sous-é-cri-re. Similar prefix "sous-" and vowel-based syllabification.

The consistency in syllabification across these words demonstrates the application of the vowel-centric rule in French. The presence of nasal vowels and liaison possibilities are common features.