Hyphenation ofembranquecer-me-emos

Analysis of "embranquecer-me-emos" (Portuguese)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "embranquecer-me-emos" is a conjugated verb form in Portuguese, specifically the first-person plural future subjunctive of "embranquecer" (to whiten, to bleach). It's a complex word formed by a verb root, a suffix, and pronominal clitics. Pronunciation involves careful attention to vowel quality and nasalization.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Portuguese syllabification rules, the word divides as follows (using only original letters):

em-bran-que-cer-me-e-mos

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: em- (Latin in-) - Prefixo verbal, indicating an action being initiated or a change of state.
• Root: branqu- (Latin blancus) - Root of the verb, meaning "white".
• Suffix: -ecer (Latin -escere) - Verbal suffix indicating a process or becoming.
• Clitic Pronoun: -me - First-person singular object pronoun (me).
• Clitic Pronoun: -emos - First-person plural future subjunctive ending.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable of the verb stem, "cer". Thus, "em-bran-que-cer-me-e-mos".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ẽ.bɾɐ̃.ke.ˈseɾ.mɪ.e.mos/

6. Edge Case Review:

The presence of clitic pronouns attached to the verb can sometimes lead to variations in perceived syllable boundaries, but the standard rules apply here. The "e" before "mos" is a weak vowel and often reduced in rapid speech.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is a verb form. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of whether the verb is in the infinitive, present, past, or future tense. However, the stress pattern can shift depending on the conjugation.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: embranquecer-me-emos
• Part of Speech: Verb (conjugated form)
• Definitions:
  • "We will whiten ourselves."
  • "We will bleach ourselves."
• Translation: "We will whiten/bleach ourselves."
• Synonyms: alvejarmos-nos, branquearmos-nos
• Antonyms: escurecermos-nos (we will darken ourselves)
• Examples:
  • "Esperamos embranquecer-me-emos antes da festa." (We hope to whiten ourselves before the party.)
  • "Eles prometeram embranquecer-me-emos para o evento." (They promised to whiten ourselves for the event.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• cantaríamos: can-ta-rí-a-mos - Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable of the root.
• conversaremos: con-ver-sa-re-mos - Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable of the root.
• esqueceremos: es-que-ce-re-mos - Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable of the root.

The key difference lies in the initial consonant cluster and the length of the root. "Embranquecer" has a more complex initial cluster and a longer root than the other examples, but the stress pattern and syllable division principles remain consistent.

10. Division Rules:

• Rule 1: Vowel-Consonant (VC): Syllables are typically divided after a vowel followed by a consonant (e.g., em-bran).
• Rule 2: Consonant-Vowel (CV): Syllables are divided before a vowel preceded by a consonant (e.g., bran-que).
• Rule 3: Diphthongs & Triphthongs: Diphthongs and triphthongs are generally kept within the same syllable (e.g., cer).
• Rule 4: Clitic Pronouns: Clitic pronouns are generally treated as separate syllables, but are attached to the verb.

11. Special Considerations:

The "e" before "mos" is often reduced to a schwa sound /ɪ/ in rapid speech, but it still constitutes a separate syllable for syllabification purposes. The initial "em-" can sometimes be considered a single morphemic syllable, but separating it as "em-bran" is more common and aligns with standard syllabification.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might exist, but they generally don't affect the syllable division. Some speakers might pronounce the "r" as a uvular fricative, but this is a phonetic variation, not a change in syllable structure.