Hyphenation ofsuprasegmentales

Linguistic Analysis of "suprasegmentales" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "suprasegmentales" is a French noun meaning "suprasegmentals." It refers to features of speech that extend over more than one segment (phoneme), such as stress, intonation, and rhythm. Pronunciation involves a relatively complex sequence of sounds, typical of French words with multiple syllables and nasal vowels.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are difficult to pronounce together, the word divides as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: supra- (Latin origin, meaning "above," "over") - functions as a prefix indicating a higher level or extension of the following concept.
• Root: segment- (Latin origin, from segmentum meaning "part," "section") - refers to the individual units of speech sounds.
• Suffix: -ales (French suffix, derived from Latin -alis forming adjectives or nouns relating to a quality or characteristic) - creates a plural noun denoting a set of suprasegmental features.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. In this case, the stress falls on "-les".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/sy.pʁa.se.ʒɑ̃.tal/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

• su-: /sy/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. The 'u' is followed by a consonant and then a vowel, creating a natural syllable break. Exception: None.
• pra-: /pʁa/ - Open syllable. Rule: Similar to 'su-', the 'a' is the vowel nucleus. Exception: None.
• se-: /se/ - Open syllable. Rule: The 'e' is the vowel nucleus. Exception: None.
• ʒɑ̃-: /ʒɑ̃/ - Nasal syllable. Rule: Nasal vowels form their own syllable. The 'ã' is a nasal vowel, creating a distinct syllable. Exception: None.
• ta-: /ta/ - Open syllable. Rule: The 'a' is the vowel nucleus. Exception: None.
• les-: /lɛs/ - Open syllable. Rule: The 'e' is the vowel nucleus. This syllable receives the primary stress. Exception: None.

7. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "pr" is permissible at the beginning of a syllable in French, and the "segment" root is common. The nasal vowel "ã" is a typical feature of French phonology and doesn't present a syllabification challenge.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Suprasegmentales" is primarily a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Features of speech such as stress, intonation, and rhythm that extend over more than one segment (phoneme).
• Translation: Suprasegmentals
• Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine plural)
• Synonyms: (None readily available as it's a technical term)
• Antonyms: (None readily available as it's a technical term)
• Examples:
  • "L'étude des suprasegmentales est essentielle en phonétique." (The study of suprasegmentals is essential in phonetics.)
  • "Les suprasegmentales peuvent modifier le sens d'une phrase." (Suprasegmentals can modify the meaning of a sentence.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /sy.pʁa.se.ʒɑ̃.tal/, slight variations in vowel quality or the realization of the 'r' sound might occur depending on regional accents. However, these variations wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• "internationales": /ɛ̃.tɛʁ.na.sjɔ.nal/ - Syllables: in-ter-na-tio-na-les. Similar structure with multiple syllables and a final stressed syllable.
• "organisationnelles": /ɔʁ.ɡa.ni.za.sjɔ.nɛl/ - Syllables: or-ga-ni-sa-tion-nelles. Similar in length and complexity, with a final stressed syllable.
• "fonctionnelles": /fɔ̃k.sjɔ.nɛl/ - Syllables: fonc-tion-nelles. Shares the "-nelles" suffix and a similar stress pattern.

The consistency in syllable division across these words demonstrates the application of French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless necessary. The final stress is also consistent.