Hyphenation offortalecer-lhes-emos

Linguistic Analysis of "fortalecer-lhes-emos" (Portuguese)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "fortalecer-lhes-emos" is a conjugated verb form in Portuguese, specifically the future subjunctive of the verb "fortalecer" (to strengthen). Its pronunciation involves a complex interplay of vowel reduction, nasalization, and consonant articulation typical of Brazilian Portuguese (though the analysis will be based on standard European Portuguese rules unless otherwise noted).

2. Syllable Division:

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

for-ta-le-cer-lhes-e-mos

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: fort- (Latin fortis - strong). Function: Intensifier, contributing to the meaning of strength.
• Root: alecer (from Latin alecere - to nourish, strengthen). Function: Core meaning of the verb.
• Suffixes:
  • -ecer (Latin -escere). Function: Verb-forming suffix.
  • -lhes- (Pronoun clitic: a eles - to them). Function: Indirect object pronoun.
  • -emos (Future Subjunctive ending). Function: Verb tense and mood marker.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second-to-last syllable of the verb stem, "cer" in "for-ta-le-cer". This is consistent with the general rule for verbs ending in -ecer.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/fuɾtɐlɐˈsɛɾ lɨʃˈɛmuʃ/ (European Portuguese)
/foɾtɐleˈseɾ ˈleʃemos/ (Brazilian Portuguese - slight vowel reduction and stress shift)

6. Edge Case Review:

The clitic pronoun "lhes" can sometimes be elided or contracted in spoken Portuguese, but this doesn't affect the written syllabification. The future subjunctive is a relatively complex tense, and its formation can be challenging for non-native speakers.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is a verb form. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of whether the verb is used in a declarative sentence, interrogative sentence, or other grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To strengthen them; to make them stronger.
• Part of Speech: Verb (Future Subjunctive)
• Translation: To strengthen them.
• Synonyms: reforçar-lhes, robustecer-lhes
• Antonyms: enfraquecer-lhes, debilitar-lhes
• Examples:
  • "Se eu puder, fortalecerei-lhes a confiança." (If I can, I will strengthen their confidence.)
  • "Esperamos que o governo fortaleça-lhes a economia." (We hope that the government will strengthen their economy.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• reforçar-lhes-emos: re-for-ça-r-lhes-e-mos. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable of the root.
• enfraquecer-lhes-emos: en-fra-que-ce-r-lhes-e-mos. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable of the root.
• fortalecer-nos-emos: for-ta-le-cer-nos-e-mos. Similar syllable structure, differing only in the clitic pronoun.

10. Division Rules:

• Rule 1: Vowel Groups: Vowels within a diphthong or triphthong are generally not separated (e.g., "le" in "for-ta-le-cer").
• Rule 2: Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are broken according to sonority hierarchy, but in this case, there are no complex clusters requiring separation within syllables.
• Rule 3: Pronoun Clitics: Pronoun clitics are treated as separate syllables (e.g., "lhes" and "emos").
• Rule 4: Stress and Syllable Weight: Syllable weight influences stress placement, but doesn't directly affect syllable division.

11. Special Considerations:

The hyphenated structure reflects the verb conjugation and the inclusion of clitic pronouns. The pronunciation of "lhes" can vary regionally, with some speakers reducing the vowel to a schwa.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Brazilian Portuguese often exhibits vowel reduction and a slight shift in stress. The pronunciation of /lɨʃ/ might be /leʃ/ in some dialects. This doesn't change the syllabification, but affects the phonetic realization.