HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofmetamorfosavano

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

me-ta-mor-fo-sa-va-no

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

/ˌmɛ.ta.mor.foˈsa.va.no/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0000100

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable 'sa' (fifth syllable).

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

me/mɛ/

Open, unstressed syllable.

ta/ta/

Open, unstressed syllable.

mor/mor/

Open, unstressed syllable.

fo/fo/

Open, unstressed syllable.

sa/ˈsa/

Open, stressed syllable.

va/va/

Open, unstressed syllable.

no/no/

Open, unstressed syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

meta-(prefix)
+
morph-(root)
+
-os-are-va-no(suffix)

Prefix: meta-

Greek origin, meaning 'beyond,' 'change'. Modifies the root verb.

Root: morph-

Greek origin, meaning 'form'. Core meaning of transformation.

Suffix: -os-are-va-no

Combination of suffixes: -os- (linking vowel), -are (infinitive), -va- (imperfect tense), -no (3rd person plural).

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

They were transforming.

Translation: They were transforming.

Examples:

"Le farfalle metamorfosavano da bruchi."

"I suoi pensieri metamorfosavano continuamente."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

camminavanocam-mi-na-va-no

Similar syllable structure with open syllables and verb conjugation.

parlavanopar-la-va-no

Similar syllable structure with open syllables and verb conjugation.

ascoltavanoa-scol-ta-va-no

Similar syllable structure, though the initial consonant cluster 'sc' affects the first syllable.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel Rule

Syllables generally end in vowels. Each vowel forms the nucleus of its own syllable.

Penultimate Stress Rule

Stress typically falls on the penultimate syllable unless otherwise indicated by accent marks.

Special Considerations

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

Italian generally avoids syllable-initial consonant clusters, but this word doesn't present such a case.

Regional variations in pronunciation are minimal for this word.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'metamorfosavano' is divided into seven syllables (me-ta-mor-fo-sa-va-no) following Italian vowel-based syllabification rules. The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable 'sa'. It's a verb form derived from Greek and Latin roots, meaning 'they were transforming'.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "metamorfosavano" (Italian)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "metamorfosavano" is a third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the verb "metamorfosare" (to transform). Its pronunciation involves a complex sequence of consonants and vowels, requiring careful application of Italian syllabification rules.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Italian syllabification rules, the word divides as follows: me-ta-mor-fo-sa-va-no.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: meta- (Greek origin, meaning "beyond," "change"). Morphological function: modifies the root verb.
  • Root: morph- (Greek origin, meaning "form"). Morphological function: core meaning of transformation.
  • Suffix: -os- (Greek origin, linking vowel). Morphological function: connects root to the following suffix.
  • Suffix: -are (Latin origin). Morphological function: infinitive verb ending.
  • Suffix: -va- (Latin origin). Morphological function: imperfect indicative tense marker.
  • Suffix: -no (Latin origin). Morphological function: third-person plural marker.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: "sa".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˌmɛ.ta.mor.foˈsa.va.no/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • me- /mɛ/: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels. No consonant clusters to break up the syllable.
  • ta- /ta/: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels.
  • mor- /mor/: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels.
  • fo- /fo/: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels.
  • sa- /ˈsa/: Stressed, open syllable. Rule: Stress typically falls on the penultimate syllable unless otherwise indicated by accent marks.
  • va- /va/: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels.
  • no- /no/: Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels.

7. Edge Case Review:

Italian generally avoids syllable-initial consonant clusters, but this word doesn't present such a case. The presence of multiple vowels in sequence doesn't create issues as each vowel forms the nucleus of its own syllable.

8. Grammatical Role:

As a verb form, the syllabification remains consistent regardless of its function within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: metamorfosavano
  • Part of Speech: Verb (Imperfect Indicative)
  • Definitions:
    • "They were transforming."
    • "They used to transform."
  • Translation: They were transforming.
  • Synonyms: trasformavano, mutavano
  • Antonyms: rimanevano invariati (remained unchanged)
  • Examples:
    • "Le farfalle metamorfosavano da bruchi." (The butterflies were transforming from caterpillars.)
    • "I suoi pensieri metamorfosavano continuamente." (His thoughts were constantly changing.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in Italian pronunciation are minimal for this word. The stress pattern is consistent across dialects.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • camminavano (they were walking): cam-mi-na-va-no. Similar syllable structure with open syllables.
  • parlavano (they were speaking): par-la-va-no. Similar syllable structure with open syllables.
  • ascoltavano (they were listening): a-scol-ta-va-no. The initial consonant cluster "sc" creates a slightly different syllable structure in the first syllable, but the remaining syllables follow the same pattern.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

The hottest word splits in Italian

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.