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Hyphenation ofsous-utilisées

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

sous-u-ti-li-sées

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

/su.ti.li.ze/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00101

Primary stress falls on the third syllable 'li' (/li/). The final syllable 'sées' receives a secondary, weaker stress due to the 'e' mute.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

sous/su/

Open syllable, containing the prefix.

u/y/

Open syllable, part of the root.

ti/ti/

Closed syllable, part of the root.

li/li/

Open syllable, part of the root, stressed syllable.

sées/ze/

Closed syllable, containing the suffix.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

sous(prefix)
+
utilis(root)
+
ées(suffix)

Prefix: sous

Latin *sub-* meaning 'under', adverbial prefix indicating inferiority.

Root: utilis

Latin *utilis* meaning 'useful', forms the base meaning.

Suffix: ées

Feminine plural past participle ending, from Latin *-atae*.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Not fully used or exploited; underemployed.

Translation: Underutilized

Examples:

"Les ressources sous-utilisées représentent une perte pour l'entreprise."

"Les compétences sous-utilisées des employés peuvent être un problème."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

utiliséu-ti-li-sé

Shares the same root and similar syllabic structure.

sous-estiméessous-es-ti-mées

Shares the same prefix and similar stress pattern.

utilisationsu-ti-li-sa-ti-ons

Shares the same root, demonstrating how the suffix affects syllable count.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Sound Rule

Each vowel sound constitutes a syllable.

Consonant Cluster Rule

Consonant clusters are generally kept within the syllable following the vowel.

Special Considerations

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

The 'e' mute at the end of 'sées' is crucial for grammatical agreement but doesn't affect syllabification.

Liaison between 'sous' and 'utilisées' is possible but doesn't alter the syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'sous-utilisées' is divided into five syllables: sous-u-ti-li-sées. It consists of the prefix 'sous-', the root 'utilis-', and the suffix '-ées'. The primary stress falls on the third syllable 'li'. The syllabification follows standard French rules based on vowel sounds and consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "sous-utilisées"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "sous-utilisées" is a feminine plural adjective meaning "underutilized" in French. It's pronounced with a relatively even stress distribution, though the final syllable receives a slight emphasis due to the 'e' mute carrying the grammatical gender and number.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and consonant clusters, the word breaks down as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under") - adverbial prefix indicating inferiority or insufficiency.
  • Root: utilis- (Latin utilis meaning "useful") - forms the base meaning of the word.
  • Suffix: -ées (from Latin -atae) - feminine plural past participle ending, indicating a passive state and agreement with a feminine plural noun.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: li- in u-ti-li-sées. However, the final syllable ées receives a secondary, weaker stress due to the 'e' mute.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.ti.li.ze/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between sous and utilisées is possible in fluent speech, but doesn't affect the syllabification. The 's' at the end of sous is silent unless liaison occurs.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-utilisées" functions as an adjective. If it were used as a past participle in a compound tense (e.g., "Elles ont été sous-utilisées"), the stress pattern would remain largely the same.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Not fully used or exploited; underemployed.
  • Part of Speech: Adjective (feminine plural)
  • Translation: Underutilized
  • Synonyms: insuffisamment utilisées, peu exploitées
  • Antonyms: pleinement utilisées, exploitées
  • Examples:
    • "Les ressources sous-utilisées représentent une perte pour l'entreprise." (The underutilized resources represent a loss for the company.)
    • "Les compétences sous-utilisées des employés peuvent être un problème." (The underutilized skills of employees can be a problem.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • utilisé (masculine singular): u-ti-li-sé - Similar structure, stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • sous-estimées (underestimated): sous-es-ti-mées - Similar prefix, stress pattern.
  • utilisations (uses): u-ti-li-sa-ti-ons - More syllables due to the noun ending, but the core utili- syllable remains stressed.

10. Syllable Breakdown & Rules:

  • sous: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • u: /y/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • ti: /ti/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally kept within the syllable following the vowel.
  • li: /li/ - Open syllable. Rule: Every vowel sound forms a syllable.
  • sées: /ze/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally kept within the syllable following the vowel.

11. Special Considerations:

The 'e' mute at the end of sées is crucial for indicating feminine gender and plural number. Its pronunciation (or lack thereof) doesn't alter the syllabification.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Pronunciation is fairly standard across France. However, some regional accents might slightly alter vowel quality. This would not affect the syllabification.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/12/2025

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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.