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Hyphenation ofébouriffassions

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

é-bou-rif-fas-sions

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

/e.bu.ʁi.fas.jɔ̃/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00011

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable (/fas/). The stress pattern is typical for French verbs.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

é/e/

Open syllable, vowel only.

bou/bu/

Open syllable, vowel-consonant.

rif/ʁif/

Closed syllable, consonant-vowel-consonant.

fas/fas/

Closed syllable, consonant-vowel-consonant.

sions/sjɔ̃/

Closed syllable, consonant-vowel-nasal.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

é-(prefix)
+
bourri-(root)
+
-fassions(suffix)

Prefix: é-

From Latin *ex-*, intensifier.

Root: bourri-

From Old French *borre*, meaning 'hair', 'fur'.

Suffix: -fassions

From *faire* + imperfect subjunctive ending, indicating first-person plural imperfect subjunctive mood.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

First-person plural imperfect subjunctive of *ébouriffer*.

Translation: We were ruffling/disheveling.

Examples:

"Nous ébouriffassions les cheveux de nos enfants pour rire."

Antonyms: lisser, coiffer
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

actionnionsa-ction-nions

Similar structure with a consonant cluster and the imperfect subjunctive ending.

finissionsfi-nis-sions

Similar ending with the imperfect subjunctive.

réussissionsré-us-sis-sions

Similar structure with a prefix and the imperfect subjunctive ending.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Initial Syllable

Syllables begin with vowels.

Consonant-Vowel Structure

Consonants are generally followed by vowels to form syllables.

Avoid Ending Syllables with Consonant Clusters

French avoids ending syllables with consonant clusters unless they include a sonorant.

Nasal Vowel Syllabification

Nasal vowels form a syllable on their own.

Special Considerations

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

The imperfect subjunctive ending '-ions' requires careful syllabification.

The initial 'é-' is a prefix and is treated as a separate syllable.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'ébouriffassions' is a complex verb form syllabified as é-bou-rif-fas-sions, with stress on the penultimate syllable. Its morphology includes a prefix, root, and suffix, and its syllabification adheres to standard French phonological rules.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "ébouriffassions" (French)

1. Pronunciation: The word "ébouriffassions" is pronounced approximately as /e.bu.ʁi.fas.jɔ̃/. It's a complex verb form, requiring careful syllabification.

2. Syllable Division: é-bou-rif-fas-sions

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: é- (from Latin ex- meaning 'out'). Functions as an intensifier or to indicate a completed action.
  • Root: bourri- (from Old French borre meaning 'hair', 'fur'). Related to the idea of roughness or disarray.
  • Suffix: -fassions (from the verb faire 'to do' + imperfect subjunctive ending). Indicates the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive mood.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: /e.bu.ʁi.fas.ˈjɔ̃/.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /e.bu.ʁi.fas.jɔ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally avoids leaving a consonant cluster at the end of a syllable unless it's a sonorant cluster. This is observed here.

7. Grammatical Role: This word is exclusively the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb ébouriffer (to ruffle, dishevel). The syllabification remains consistent regardless of the verb's conjugation.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: First-person plural imperfect subjunctive of ébouriffer. To be ruffling, disheveling (oneself/each other).
  • Translation: We were ruffling/disheveling.
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (Imperfect Subjunctive)
  • Synonyms: décoiffer (to dishevel), écheveler (to tousle)
  • Antonyms: lisser (to smooth), coiffer (to comb)
  • Examples: "Nous ébouriffassions les cheveux de nos enfants pour rire." (We were ruffling our children's hair to laugh.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • actionnions: a-ction-nions. Similar structure with a consonant cluster. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • finissions: fi-nis-sions. Similar ending with the imperfect subjunctive. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • réussissions: ré-us-sis-sions. Similar structure with a prefix and the imperfect subjunctive ending. Stress on the penultimate syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
é /e/ Open syllable, vowel only. Vowel-initial syllable. None
bou /bu/ Open syllable, vowel-consonant. Consonant follows vowel. None
rif /ʁif/ Closed syllable, consonant-vowel-consonant. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. None
fas /fas/ Closed syllable, consonant-vowel-consonant. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. None
sions /sjɔ̃/ Closed syllable, consonant-vowel-nasal. Consonant cluster followed by vowel. The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ is a common feature of French syllabification.

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Initial Syllable: Syllables begin with vowels.
  2. Consonant-Vowel Structure: Consonants are generally followed by vowels to form syllables.
  3. Avoid Ending Syllables with Consonant Clusters: French avoids ending syllables with consonant clusters unless they include a sonorant (l, m, n, r).
  4. Nasal Vowel Syllabification: Nasal vowels form a syllable on their own.

Special Considerations:

  • The imperfect subjunctive ending "-ions" is a common feature in French verb conjugation and requires careful syllabification.
  • The initial "é-" is a prefix and is treated as a separate syllable.
  • The word's length and complex morphology require a detailed analysis to ensure accurate syllabification.

Short Analysis:

"ébouriffassions" is the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive of the verb "ébouriffer". It is divided into five syllables: é-bou-rif-fas-sions. The stress falls on the penultimate syllable. The word's morphology includes a prefix (é-), a root (bourri-), and a suffix (-fassions). Syllabification follows standard French rules, avoiding consonant clusters at syllable ends and respecting vowel-initial syllables.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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