Hyphenation ofraccapriccevole

Linguistic Analysis of "raccapriccevole" (Italian)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "raccapriccevole" is an Italian adjective meaning "frightful," "horrifying," or "ghastly." It's a relatively complex word morphologically, built upon a verb root. Pronunciation involves careful attention to consonant clusters and vowel quality.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Italian syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: ra- (Latin re- meaning "again, back"). Function: Intensifier, indicating repetition or a strong degree of the action.
• Root: capri- (from the verb capire - to grasp, comprehend, to cause fear). Origin: Latin capere (to take, seize).
• Suffix: -ccevole (-cevole, from -cevole which is derived from facere - to do, to make). Function: Adjectival suffix, forming an adjective denoting capability or quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: cap-pri-cce-vo-le.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/rak.ka.prit.ʃʃeˈvo.le/

6. Edge Case Review:

The double 'c' and 'p' present challenges. Italian generally prefers consonant clusters within a syllable if possible, but the 'cc' and 'pp' are treated as single sounds in this context. The 'r' before 'c' is a potential point of variation, but it remains within the first syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Raccapriccevole" is primarily an adjective. Its syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Frightful, horrifying, ghastly, appalling.
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Synonyms: spaventoso, terrificante, orribile
• Antonyms: rassicurante, piacevole
• Examples: "Un film raccapriccevole." (A horrifying film.) "La notizia era raccapriccevole." (The news was appalling.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• formidabile: for-mi-da-bi-le. Similar structure with a prefix and suffix. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
• incredibile: in-cre-di-bi-le. Similar suffix structure. Stress on the antepenultimate syllable.
• spaventevole: spa-ven-te-vo-le. Similar suffix structure and stress pattern.

The key difference lies in the initial consonant clusters. "Raccapriccevole" has a doubled consonant and a preceding 'r', creating a more complex initial syllable.

10. Syllable Analysis with Rules & Exceptions:

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Rule 1: Consonant Clusters: Italian allows consonant clusters within syllables if they are pronounceable.
• Rule 2: Vowel-Initial Syllables: Syllables beginning with vowels are formed after consonants.
• Rule 3: Final Syllables: The final syllable often consists of a vowel.
• Rule 4: Double Consonants: Double consonants are generally treated as a single sound within a syllable.

12. Special Considerations:

The pronunciation of 'cc' as /ʃʃ/ is a key feature of Italian phonology and influences the syllabification. The initial 'r' before 'c' is a potential point of division, but it's generally maintained within the first syllable.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in pronunciation are minimal for this word. However, some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel sounds in unstressed syllables. This wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification.