Division of words

In the process of composition it is frequently found that a complete line cannot be formed without making use of a portion of a word. It then becomes the duty of the workman to consider how he may divide the word with judgement and propriety. The art of dividing words is called Syllabification, and it has engaged the attention of most of the lexicographers and grammarians. Although a large number of formal rules have been drawn up to guide the compositor in this respect, the following, by Lindley Murray, contain all that is practically necessary to be borne in mind:—

1. A single consonant between two vowels must be joined to the latter syllable; as de-light, bri-dal, re-source; except the letter x, as ex-ist, ex-amine; and except, likewise, words comopunded, as up-on, un-even, dis-ease.
2. Two consonants proper to begin a word, must not be separated; as fa-ble, sti-fle. But when they come between two vowels, and are such as cannot begin a word, they must be divided; as, ut-most, un-der, in-sect, er-ror, cof-fin.

If the preceding syllable is short, the consonants must be separated; as cus-tard, pub-lic, gos-ling.

3. When three consonants meet in the middle of a word, if they can begin a word, and the preceding vowel being long, they are not to be separated; as de-throne, de-stroy. But when the vowel of the preceding syllable is pronounced short, one of the consonants always belongs to that syllable, as, dis-tract, dis-prove, dis-train.
4. When three or four consonants, which are not proper to begin a word, meet between two vowels, the first consonant is always kept with the first syllable in the division; as, ab-stain, com-plete, em-broil, daw-dler, dap-ple, con-strain.
5. Two vowels, not being a dipthong, must be divided into separate syllables; as, cru-el, deni-al, soci-ety.

A dipthong immediately preceding a vowel is to be separated from it; as, roy-al, pow-er, jew-el.

6. Compounded words must be traced to the simple words of which they are composed; as, ice-house, glow-worm, over-power, never-the-less.
7. Grammatical and other particular terminations are generally separated; as, teach-est, teach-eth, teach-ing, teach-er, contend-est, great-er, wretch-ed, good-ness, free-dom, false-hood.

Two consonants which form but one sound are never separated; as, e-cho, fa-ther, pro-phet, an-chor, bi-shop. They are to be considered as a single letter.

8. In derivative words, the additional syllables are separated; as, sweet-er, sweet-est, sweet-ly; learn-ed, learn-eth, learn-ing; dis-like, mis-lead, un-even; call-ed, roll-er, dress-ing; gold-en, bolt-ed, believ-er, pleas-ing.

Exceptions.—When the derivative word doubles the single letter of the primitive, one of these letters is joined to the termination; as, beg, beg-gar; fat, fat-ter; bed, bed-ding.

When the additional syllable is preceded by c or g soft, or the c or g is added to the syllable; as, of-fen-ces, cotta-ges, pro-noun-cer, in-dul-ging; ra-cing, pla-ced, ran-ger, chan-ging, chan-ged.

When the preceding or single vowel is long, the consonant, if single, is joined to the termination; as, ba-ker, ba-king, ho-ping, bro-ken, po-ker, bo-ny, wri-ter, sla-vish, min-ced, sa-ved.

The termination y is not to be placed alone; as, san-dy, gras-sy, du-ty, dus-ty, mos-sy, fro-sty, hea-dy, woo-dy; except dough-y, snow-y, string-y, and a few others. But even in these exceptions it would be proper to avoid beginning a line with the termination y.

There are methods, differing in some respects from the preceding, for dividing Latin, Greek, and French respectively, which readers acquainted with the languages will understand.

Wilson’s “Treatise on English Punctuation” contains several additional rules for the division of English words, which are of value:—

It is desirable that compound and derivative words should, at the ends of lines, be divided in such a manner as to indicate their principal parts. Thus school-master is preferable to schoolmas-ter, dis-approve to disap-prove, resent-ment to re-sentment, ortho-doxy to or-thodoxy; thorugh, as regards the analysis of words into syllables, the latter is unobjectionable. From the narrowness of the printed line, however, in some books, the principle recommended cannot always be adhered to.

The terminations tion, sion, ceal, tial, and many others, formerly pronounced as two syllables, but now only as one, must not be divided either in spelling or at the end of a line.

A syllable consisting of only one letter, as the a in creation, should not commence a line. This word would be better divided crea-tion; and so all others of a similar kind. But such a syllable, coming immediately after a primitive, is by some printers brought to the beginning, as consider-able.

A line of print must not end with the first syllable of a word when it consists of a single letter, as a-bide, e-normous, nor begin with the last syllable when it is formed of only two letters, as nation-al, teach-er, similar-ly. For regard should be had to the principles of taste and beauty as well as to the laws of syllabification.

Three or more successive lines should not end with a hyphen. A little care on the part of the Compositor will in general prevent an appearance so offensive to a good eye. Divisions, indeed, except for purposes of spelling and lexicography, should take place as seldom as possible, and when they are absolutely necessary, should only be made with the utmost care.