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Hyphenation ofcontrappesavate

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

con-tra-ppes-a-va-te

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

/kontrap.pes.saˈva.te/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000010

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable 'va'.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

con/kon/

Open syllable, initial consonant cluster.

tra/tra/

Open syllable, consonant cluster 'tr'

ppes/ppes/

Closed syllable, double consonant cluster.

a/a/

Open syllable, single vowel.

va/va/

Open syllable, stressed syllable.

te/te/

Closed syllable, consonant-vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

contra-(prefix)
+
pes-(root)
+
-a-va-te(suffix)

Prefix: contra-

Latin origin, meaning 'against', 'opposite', functions as a prefix indicating opposition.

Root: pes-

Latin *pensare* - to weigh, think; related to the concept of weighing or considering.

Suffix: -a-va-te

Latin origin, thematic vowel, imperfect indicative auxiliary, past participle ending.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To counterbalance, to weigh against, to oppose with a counterweight.

Translation: You (plural) were counterbalancing/weighing against.

Examples:

"Noi contrappesavamo le loro affermazioni con prove concrete."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

contrappesocon-trap-pe-so

Shares the same prefix and root, exhibiting consistent syllabification rules.

pesarepe-sa-re

Shares the root 'pes-', demonstrating consistent vowel-consonant separation.

valutavateva-lu-ta-va-te

Similar verb conjugation pattern, showcasing consistent application of syllabification rules.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Initial Consonant Cluster

Consonant clusters at the beginning of a word are typically separated if followed by a vowel.

Consonant Cluster + Vowel

Consonant clusters followed by a vowel are separated.

Double Consonant + Vowel

Double consonants are treated as a single unit before a vowel.

Vowel as Syllable

Single vowels constitute a syllable.

Vowel-Consonant

Vowels followed by consonants are separated.

Special Considerations

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

The double 'p' in 'ppes' is a common feature in Italian and doesn't present a syllabification issue.

Regional variations in pronunciation might affect vowel quality but not syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'contrappesavate' is syllabified as con-tra-ppes-a-va-te, with stress on 'va'. It's a verb derived from Latin roots, and its syllabification follows standard Italian rules for consonant clusters, vowel separation, and double consonants. The morphemic structure includes a prefix, root, and several suffixes indicating tense and person.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "contrappesavate"

1. Pronunciation: The word "contrappesavate" is pronounced /kontrap.pes.saˈva.te/ in standard Italian.

2. Syllable Division: con-tra-ppes-a-va-te

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: contra- (Latin origin, meaning 'against', 'opposite') - functions as a prefix indicating opposition.
  • Root: pes- (Latin pensare - to weigh, think) - related to the concept of weighing or considering.
  • Suffix: -a- (Latin origin, thematic vowel) - connects the root to the past participle.
  • Suffix: -va- (Latin origin, imperfect indicative auxiliary) - indicates imperfect tense.
  • Suffix: -te- (Latin origin, past participle ending) - indicates past participle.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable: va.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /kontrap.pes.saˈva.te/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • con- /kon/ - Rule: Initial consonant cluster followed by a vowel is typically separated. No exceptions here.
  • tra- /tra/ - Rule: Consonant cluster 'tr' followed by a vowel. No exceptions.
  • ppes- /ppes/ - Rule: Double consonant followed by a vowel. Italian allows consonant doubling, and it's syllabified as a unit. Exception: While 'pp' is a cluster, it's treated as a single unit due to the doubling.
  • a- /a/ - Rule: Single vowel constitutes a syllable. No exceptions.
  • va- /va/ - Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. No exceptions.
  • te- /te/ - Rule: Consonant followed by a vowel. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review: The double 'p' in "ppes" is a common feature in Italian and doesn't present a syllabification issue. The word is relatively straightforward in terms of syllabification.

8. Grammatical Role: "Contrappesavate" is the second-person plural imperfect indicative of the verb "contrappesare" (to counterbalance, to weigh against). Syllabification remains consistent regardless of the tense or person.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To counterbalance, to weigh against, to oppose with a counterweight.
  • Translation: You (plural) were counterbalancing/weighing against.
  • Part of Speech: Verb (Imperfect Indicative)
  • Synonyms: bilanciare, compensare, contrastare
  • Antonyms: favorire, appoggiare
  • Examples: "Noi contrappesavamo le loro affermazioni con prove concrete." (We were counterbalancing their claims with concrete evidence.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: Regional variations in pronunciation might affect vowel quality, but not syllable division. Some southern dialects might slightly reduce unstressed vowels.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • "contrappeso" (counterweight): con-trap-pe-so - Similar structure, same prefix and root. Syllabification follows the same rules.
  • "pesare" (to weigh): pe-sa-re - Simpler structure, but shares the root "pes-". Syllabification is consistent.
  • "valutavate" (you were evaluating): va-lu-ta-va-te - Similar verb conjugation pattern. Syllabification follows the same rules for vowel-consonant separation.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/14/2025

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