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Hyphenation oftourbillonnâmes

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

tour-bil-lon-nâ-mes

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

/tuʁ.bi.jɔ.nɑm/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

Stress falls on the final syllable '-nâmes', though it's relatively weak in French.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

tour/tuʁ/

Open syllable, CV structure.

bil/bil/

Closed syllable, CVC structure.

lon/jɔ̃/

Nasal syllable, vowel nasalized by 'n'

/nɑ/

Open syllable, vowel followed by consonant.

mes/m/

Closed syllable, consonant cluster following a vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
tourbillon(root)
+
nâmes(suffix)

Prefix:

None

Root: tourbillon

From Old French *torbillon*, ultimately from Latin *turbo* + *billō* meaning 'whirl, eddy'

Suffix: nâmes

Past historic ending for the first-person plural, derived from Latin *-mus*

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

We swirled

Translation: We swirled

Examples:

"Nous tourbillonnâmes dans la salle de bal."

"Les feuilles tourbillonnâmes dans le vent."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

tourbillonnatour-bil-lon-na

Shares the same root and similar syllable structure.

tournillonstour-ni-llons

Shares the initial syllables and demonstrates a different verb conjugation.

tourbillontour-bil-lon

The root form of the verb, highlighting the core syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Syllabification

Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. Consonants following vowels typically belong to the same syllable.

Nasal Vowel Rule

Nasal vowels create their own syllables due to the nasalization.

Consonant Cluster Maintenance

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are exceptionally complex.

Special Considerations

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

The doubled 'l' does not create a syllable break. Potential slight vowel reduction in '-nâmes' in some regional variations.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'tourbillonnâmes' is a verb form with five syllables: tour-bil-lon-nâ-mes. Stress falls on the final syllable. It's formed from the root 'tourbillon' and the past historic ending '-nâmes'. Syllabification follows vowel-based rules, maintaining consonant clusters and recognizing nasal vowels as individual syllables.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "tourbillonnâmes" (French)

1. Pronunciation & Initial Examination:

The word "tourbillonnâmes" is the first-person plural past historic (or passé simple) conjugation of the verb "tourbillonner" (to swirl, to eddy). It's a relatively complex word due to the doubled consonant and the past historic ending. The pronunciation involves nasal vowels and a final schwa.

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: None
  • Root: tourbillon- (from Old French torbillon, ultimately from Latin turbo "whirl, top" + billō "billow, wave"). This is the core meaning of swirling.
  • Suffix: -nâmes (past historic ending for the first-person plural). This suffix indicates tense, mood, and person. It's derived from the Latin infinitive ending -mus.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress generally falls on the last syllable of a phrase or breath group. However, in polysyllabic words, the stress is often less pronounced and more subtle. In this case, the stress falls on the final syllable: "-nâmes".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/tuʁ.bi.jɔ.nɑm/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

  • tour: /tuʁ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. The 'r' is a consonant that follows the vowel, creating a simple CV structure. Exception: The 'r' is a rhotic consonant, which can sometimes create more complex syllable onsets.
  • bil: /bil/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable if they follow a vowel. Exception: None.
  • lon: /jɔ̃/ - Nasal syllable. Rule: Nasal vowels form their own syllables. The 'n' nasalizes the vowel. Exception: None.
  • nâ: /nɑ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant. The 'â' represents a mid-back unrounded vowel. Exception: None.
  • mes: /m/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable if they follow a vowel. Exception: None.

7. Edge Case Review:

The doubled 'l' in "tourbillonnâmes" doesn't create a syllable break. French generally avoids breaking up consonant clusters unless they are very complex or involve a glide.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a verb form (past historic, first-person plural). Syllabification doesn't change based on grammatical role in this case, as it's a conjugated verb.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: tourbillonnâmes
  • Part of Speech: Verb (past historic, first-person plural)
  • Definitions:
    • "We swirled" / "We eddied"
    • Translation: English equivalent
  • Synonyms: virevoltâmes, voltigeâmes
  • Antonyms: immobilisâmes, stabilisâmes
  • Examples:
    • "Nous tourbillonnâmes dans la salle de bal." (We swirled in the ballroom.)
    • "Les feuilles tourbillonnâmes dans le vent." (The leaves swirled in the wind.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /tuʁ.bi.jɔ.nɑm/, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in "-nâmes" to a schwa /ə/, making it /tuʁ.bi.jɔ.nəm/. This doesn't significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • tourbillonna: /tuʁ.bi.jɔ.na/ - Syllable division: tour-bil-lon-na. Similar structure, but lacks the "-mes" ending.
  • tournillons: /tuʁ.ni.jɔ̃/ - Syllable division: tour-ni-llons. The 'n' insertion changes the syllable structure slightly.
  • tourbillon: /tuʁ.bi.jɔ̃/ - Syllable division: tour-bil-lon. The root form, demonstrating the core syllable structure.

The consistency lies in the initial "tour-bil-" sequence. The differences arise from the suffixes and endings, which dictate the final syllable(s).

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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