Hyphenation ofsous-tendaient

Analysis of "sous-tendaient"

1. Pronunciation: The word "sous-tendaient" is pronounced /su tɑ̃.dɛ̃t/ (with liaison possible depending on context).

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants, is: sous-ten-daient.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under"). Function: adverbial prefix, indicating position or degree.
• Root: tend- (Latin tendere meaning "to stretch, extend, aim"). Function: verb stem.
• Suffix: -aient (from Latin -ent). Function: imperfect indicative ending for the 3rd person plural.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the final syllable: -aient. French generally stresses the last syllable of a phrase or word group.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /su tɑ̃.dɛ̃t/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally avoids leaving consonants stranded at the end of a syllable. The 't' in 'ten' is part of the onset of the following syllable. Liaison is possible between 'ten' and 'daient' in fluent speech, but doesn't affect the syllabic structure.

7. Grammatical Role: "sous-tendaient" is the 3rd person plural imperfect indicative of the verb "sous-tendre". The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the tense or person.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To underlie, to imply, to suggest, to be the basis of.
• Translation: To underlie, to imply, to suggest.
• Grammatical Category: Verb (Imperfect Indicative)
• Synonyms: impliquer, suggérer, sous-entendre
• Antonyms: exprimer, déclarer
• Examples:
  • "Les difficultés sous-tendaient un problème plus profond." (The difficulties implied a deeper problem.)
  • "Ses paroles sous-tendaient une certaine amertume." (His words suggested a certain bitterness.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "soutenir" (to support): sou-te-nir. Similar structure with a prefix and root. Stress on the final syllable.
• "entendre" (to hear): en-ten-dre. Similar ending with the -ent suffix. Stress on the final syllable.
• "tendent" (they stretch): ten-dent. Similar root and ending. Stress on the final syllable.

The consistency in stress placement on the final syllable across these words reinforces the general rule in French. The syllable division follows the same principles of maximizing onsets.

Syllable Analysis Details:

• sous: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel structure. No exceptions.
• ten: /tɑ̃/ - Nasal syllable, closed. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Nasal Vowel. Potential exception: Liaison with the following syllable.
• daient: /dɛ̃t/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Nasal Vowel-Consonant. No exceptions.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

• Liaison: The 't' in 'ten' can be pronounced with the 'd' in 'daient' in fluent speech, creating a single sound. This doesn't change the underlying syllabification.
• The nasal vowels /ɑ̃/ and /ɛ̃/ require consideration in syllable structure, as they function as syllable nuclei.

Division Rules Applied:

• Maximize Onsets: Consonants are generally assigned to the following vowel to create a valid onset.
• Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left at the end of a syllable unless they are part of a nasal vowel.
• Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are primarily divided around vowel sounds.