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Hyphenation ofsous-occipitale

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

sous-oc-ci-pi-ta-le

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

/su.z‿ɔ.si.pi.tal/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

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Stress falls on the final syllable '-le', which is typical for French adjectives. The liaison between 'sous' and 'occipitale' is indicated by the '‿' symbol.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

sous/su/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Unstressed.

oc/ɔk/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Unstressed.

ci/si/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Unstressed.

pi/pi/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Unstressed.

ta/ta/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Unstressed.

le/lə/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Stressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

sous-(prefix)
+
occipit-(root)
+
-ale(suffix)

Prefix: sous-

Latin origin 'sub-', meaning 'under, below'. Adverbial/prepositional prefix.

Root: occipit-

Latin origin 'occiput', meaning 'back of the head'. Lexical root.

Suffix: -ale

Latin origin '-alis', forming an adjective. Adjectival suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Relating to the back of the skull; occipital.

Translation: Occipital

Examples:

"une douleur sous-occipitale"

"la région sous-occipitale"

Antonyms: frontal, antérieur
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

automobileau-to-mo-bile

Similar syllable structure with alternating vowel-consonant patterns and final stress.

hospitalitéhos-pi-ta-li-té

Similar final stress and vowel-consonant alternation, with a suffix.

originaleo-ri-gi-na-le

Similar adjectival suffix '-ale' and final stress.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Syllabification

French syllabification prioritizes vowel sounds. Each vowel generally forms the nucleus of a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Handling

Consonant clusters are not broken unless they are easily pronounceable as separate syllables. 'cc' is treated as a single unit.

Hyphenated Prefix

Hyphenated prefixes like 'sous-' are generally treated as separate units for syllabification, but can participate in liaison.

Special Considerations

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

The liaison between 'sous' and 'occipitale' is a common feature of French pronunciation and affects the phonetic transcription.

The word is primarily an adjective, and its syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'sous-occipitale' is an adjective of Latin origin. It is divided into six syllables: sous-oc-ci-pi-ta-le, with stress on the final syllable '-le'. The syllabification follows French vowel-based rules, respecting consonant clusters and hyphenated prefixes. The word's meaning relates to the back of the skull.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "sous-occipitale"

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "sous-occipitale" presents challenges due to the liaison possibilities and the presence of the hyphenated prefix. French syllable structure generally favors open syllables (ending in a vowel) but allows for closed syllables (ending in a consonant), particularly in polysyllabic 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 sub- meaning "under, below"). Function: adverbial/prepositional prefix.
  • Root: occipit- (Latin occiput meaning "back of the head"). Function: lexical root.
  • Suffix: -ale (Latin -alis forming an adjective). Function: adjectival suffix.

4. Stress Identification:

French stress is generally on the final syllable of a word or phrase. In this case, the stress falls on "-tale".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.z‿ɔ.si.pi.tal/ (Note: the liaison between sous and occipitale is represented by the '‿' symbol, indicating the linking of the final 's' of sous with the initial vowel of occipitale.)

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated prefix "sous-" is a common feature in French, and its syllabification is generally treated as a separate unit, but it can liaison with the following word. The 'cc' cluster is not broken, as it is a pronounceable digraph.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-occipitale" is primarily an adjective. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Relating to the back of the skull; occipital.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Translation: Occipital (English)
  • Synonyms: occipital, postérior (posterior)
  • Antonyms: frontal, antérieur (anterior)
  • Examples: "une douleur sous-occipitale" (an occipital pain), "la région sous-occipitale" (the occipital region).

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "automobile": au-to-mo-bile. Similar syllable structure with alternating vowel-consonant patterns. Stress on the final syllable.
  • "hospitalité": hos-pi-ta-li-té. Similar final stress and vowel-consonant alternation.
  • "originale": o-ri-gi-na-le. Similar adjectival suffix "-ale" and final stress.

The differences lie in the initial consonant clusters and the presence of the hyphenated prefix in "sous-occipitale".

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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