Hyphenation ofsuperphosphate

Analysis of "superphosphate" in French

1. Pronunciation:

The word "superphosphate" in French is pronounced with a relatively straightforward application of French phonological rules. The 'ph' is pronounced /f/, and the 'e' at the end is generally silent.

2. Syllable Division:

Applying French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and consonant clusters, we arrive at the following division.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• super-: Prefix of Latin origin, meaning "above" or "over". Morphological function: intensifier.
• phosphate: Root of Greek origin (phosphoros + -ate), referring to a salt of phosphoric acid. Morphological function: core meaning.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/sy.pɛʁ.fɔ.fat/

6. Edge Case Review:

The 'ph' digraph is a relatively common exception, being pronounced as /f/. The final 'e' is silent, a standard feature of French orthography.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Superphosphate" functions primarily as a noun in French. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A salt of phosphoric acid, used as a fertilizer.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
• Translation: Superphosphate
• Synonyms: Engrais phosphaté (phosphate fertilizer)
• Antonyms: None directly applicable.
• Examples:
  • "L'utilisation de superphosphate a augmenté le rendement des cultures." (The use of superphosphate increased crop yields.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• phosphate: /fɔ.fat/ - Similar structure, demonstrating the typical French vowel-consonant syllable structure.
• supermarché: /sy.pɛʁ.ma.ʃe/ - Shares the "super-" prefix, showing consistent syllabification of this element.
• hypochlorite: /i.pɔ.klɔ.ʁit/ - Demonstrates a similar pattern of consonant clusters and vowel-based syllable division.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel Nucleus Rule: Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable.
3. Final 'e' Rule: Final 'e' is generally silent and does not form a separate syllable.

Special Considerations:

• The pronunciation of 'ph' as /f/ is a common exception in French.
• The final 'e' is silent, a standard feature of French orthography.
• The uvular 'r' sound can influence the preceding vowel quality.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

There are minimal regional variations in the pronunciation of "superphosphate." The pronunciation is relatively standardized across French-speaking regions.