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Hyphenation oftourbillonnement

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

tour-bi-llon-ne-ment

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

/tuʁ.bi.jɔ̃.mɑ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

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Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('ne'). French stress is generally on the final syllable of a phrase, but shifts to the penultimate syllable in longer words with a light final syllable.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

tour/tuʁ/

Open syllable, onset consonant cluster

bi/bi/

Open syllable

llon/jɔ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel

ne/mɑ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel

ment/mɑ̃/

Closed syllable

Morphemic Breakdown

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

tour-(prefix)
+
bill-(root)
+
-ment(suffix)

Prefix: tour-

Latin *torquere* - to turn, twist; indicates rotary motion

Root: bill-

From *billon* - a small log, a piece of wood; core meaning related to rounded form/movement

Suffix: -ment

Latin *-mentum*; forms a noun, indicates a process/result

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A swirling, eddying, or vortex-like motion; a whirlwind.

Translation: Whirl, vortex, swirling

Examples:

"Le tourbillonnement de la poussière dans le vent créait une atmosphère étrange."

Antonyms: calme, immobilité
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

tourbillontour-bi-llon

Shares the root 'bill-' and similar syllable structure.

développementdé-ve-lop-pe-ment

Shares the suffix '-ment' and similar syllable structure.

établissementé-ta-blis-se-ment

Shares the suffix '-ment' and similar syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Onsets

Each syllable should have as many consonants as possible in its onset.

Avoid Stranded Consonants

Consonants should not be left alone to begin a syllable unless absolutely necessary.

Syllable Weight

French syllables tend to avoid very light syllables (V) and prefer heavier syllables (CV, CVC).

Special Considerations

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

The 'll' cluster in 'billon' is treated as a single onset.

Nasal vowels /ɔ̃/ and /ɑ̃/ are treated as single vowel sounds for syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

Tourbillonnement is a five-syllable French noun meaning 'whirl'. It's divided into tour-bi-llon-ne-ment, with stress on the penultimate syllable. The word is derived from Latin roots and features a complex morphology with multiple suffixes. Syllabification follows the principles of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "tourbillonnement"

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "tourbillonnement" is pronounced /tuʁbi.jɔ̃.mɑ̃/. It's a complex word with several vowel sounds and nasal vowels, typical of French.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants, is: tour-bi-llon-ne-ment.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: tour- (Latin torquere - to turn, twist). Function: Indicates rotary or whirling motion.
  • Root: bill- (From billon, a variant of billot - a small log, a piece of wood). Function: Core meaning related to a rounded form or movement.
  • Suffix: -on- (Latin -onem). Function: Forms a noun.
  • Suffix: -ne- (Latin -nem). Function: Forms a noun.
  • Suffix: -ment- (Latin -mentum). Function: Forms a noun, often indicating a process or result.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: tour-bi-llon-ne-ment. French stress is generally on the final syllable of a phrase or group, but in longer words, it tends to fall on the penultimate syllable if the final syllable is light (ends in a vowel or a sonorant consonant).

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/tuʁ.bi.jɔ̃.mɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

French syllabification generally avoids leaving a single consonant as the onset of a syllable. This is why "ll" in "billon" is considered part of the syllable. Nasal vowels are treated as single vowel sounds for syllabification purposes.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Tourbillonnement" is exclusively a noun. As such, the syllabification remains consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A swirling, eddying, or vortex-like motion; a whirlwind.
  • Translation: Whirl, vortex, swirling.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
  • Synonyms: tourbillon, remous, vortex
  • Antonyms: calme, immobilité
  • Examples: "Le tourbillonnement de la poussière dans le vent créait une atmosphère étrange." (The swirling of dust in the wind created a strange atmosphere.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • tourbillon: tour-bi-llon (similar syllable structure, stress on the final syllable)
  • développement: dé-ve-lop-pe-ment (similar suffix "-ment", stress on the penultimate syllable)
  • établissement: é-ta-blis-se-ment (similar suffix "-ment", stress on the penultimate syllable)

The syllable structure is consistent across these words, particularly regarding the "-ment" suffix. The differences arise from the initial consonant clusters and vowel qualities in the root morphemes.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
tour /tuʁ/ Open syllable, onset consonant cluster Maximizing onsets, consonant clusters allowed None
bi /bi/ Open syllable Maximizing onsets None
llon /jɔ̃/ Closed syllable, nasal vowel Maximizing onsets, avoiding stranded consonants The "ll" is treated as a single onset.
ne /mɑ̃/ Closed syllable, nasal vowel Maximizing onsets None
ment /mɑ̃/ Closed syllable Maximizing onsets The final consonant is part of the syllable.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Maximize Onsets: Each syllable should have as many consonants as possible in its onset.
  2. Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants should not be left alone to begin a syllable unless absolutely necessary.
  3. Syllable Weight: French syllables tend to avoid very light syllables (V) and prefer heavier syllables (CV, CVC).

Special Considerations:

The "ll" cluster in "billon" is a potential point of variation, but standard French syllabification treats it as a single onset. The nasal vowels /ɔ̃/ and /ɑ̃/ are treated as single vowel sounds for syllabification.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /tuʁ.bi.jɔ̃.mɑ̃/, some regional variations might slightly alter vowel qualities, but these variations do not significantly affect the syllable division.

Short Analysis:

"Tourbillonnement" is a five-syllable French noun meaning "whirl." It's divided into tour-bi-llon-ne-ment, with stress on the penultimate syllable. The word is derived from Latin roots and features a complex morphology with multiple suffixes. Syllabification follows the principles of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

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