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Hyphenation ofsous-tendirent

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

sous-ten-di-rent

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

/su.tɑ̃.di.ʁɑ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0001

The primary stress falls on the final syllable '-rent', 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 and a consonant. No stress.

ten/tɑ̃/

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

di/di/

Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. No stress.

rent/ʁɑ̃/

Closed syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant. Nasal vowel. Primary stress.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

sous-(prefix)
+
tend-(root)
+
-irent(suffix)

Prefix: sous-

From Latin 'sub-', meaning 'under, below'. Prefixes typically modify the meaning of the root.

Root: tend-

From Latin 'tendere', meaning 'to stretch, extend, aim'. The core meaning-bearing element of the verb.

Suffix: -irent

Past historic, third-person plural ending. Indicates tense, mood, and person. Derived from the infinitive ending '-ir' and the past historic ending '-rent'.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To underlie, to imply, to support (a claim or argument).

Translation: They implied, they underpinned, they supported.

Examples:

"Les faits sous-tendaient une conspiration."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

comprendrecom-pren-dre

Shares a similar structure with a verb ending and nasal vowels.

interdirein-ter-di-re

Similar consonant clusters and vowel sounds, demonstrating consistent syllabification rules.

dépendredé-pen-dre

Similar structure with a prefix and nasal vowel, illustrating the application of vowel-based division.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Division

Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound typically constitutes a syllable.

Prefix/Suffix Rule

Prefixes and suffixes generally form separate syllables, especially when they contain a vowel sound.

Special Considerations

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

The potential for liaison between 'sous' and 'tend' does not affect the syllabification.

Nasal vowels require careful phonetic transcription but do not alter the syllable division process.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'sous-tendirent' is divided into four syllables: sous-ten-di-rent. The stress falls on the final syllable '-rent'. It's a verb form composed of the prefix 'sous-', the root 'tend-', and the suffix '-irent'. Syllabification follows vowel-based division and prefix/suffix separation rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "sous-tendirent"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "sous-tendirent" is a conjugated form of the verb "sous-tendre" (to underlie, to imply). It's pronounced approximately as /su.tɑ̃.diʁ.ʁɑ̃/. The pronunciation involves nasal vowels and a liaison possibility depending on the following word.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds, the word divides as follows (see "syllable_division" in the JSON output).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under, below"). Function: modifies the verb's meaning.
  • Root: tend- (Latin tendere meaning "to stretch, extend, aim"). Function: core meaning of the verb.
  • Suffix: -irent (from the verb ending -ir + the third-person plural past historic ending -rent). Function: indicates tense, mood, and person.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.tɑ̃.di.ʁɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "sous" and "tend" is possible in fluent speech, but doesn't affect the syllabification. The nasal vowels /ɑ̃/ and /ɔ̃/ are common in French and require careful transcription.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-tendirent" is exclusively the third-person plural past historic form of the verb "sous-tendre". Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of the context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To underlie, to imply, to support (a claim or argument).
  • Translation: They implied, they underpinned, they supported.
  • Part of Speech: Verb (past historic, third-person plural)
  • Synonyms: suggérer, impliquer, appuyer
  • Antonyms: contredire, réfuter
  • Examples: "Les faits sous-tendaient une conspiration." (The facts implied a conspiracy.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "comprendre" (/kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃dʁ/): Syllables: "com-pren-dre". Similar nasal vowel structure.
  • "interdire" (/ɛ̃.tɛʁ.diʁ/): Syllables: "in-ter-di-re". Similar consonant clusters and vowel sounds.
  • "dépendre" (/de.pɑ̃dʁ/): Syllables: "dé-pen-dre". Similar structure with a prefix and nasal vowel.

The syllable division in "sous-tendirent" is consistent with these words, following the principle of dividing around vowel sounds. The presence of the prefix "sous-" and the complex verb ending "-irent" add complexity but don't alter the fundamental syllabification rules.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are minimal regarding syllabification. The liaison between "sous" and "tend" might be more or less pronounced depending on the speaker and context.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.
  • Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are split if they are difficult to pronounce together, but in this case, the clusters are manageable within syllables.
  • Prefix/Suffix Rule: Prefixes and suffixes generally form separate syllables.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/12/2025

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