7. Division of words.—Words should be divided according to syllables, as in what the French call épellation (i.e. syllabication). Therefore a consonant should never be separated from the vowel following. Thus divide: amou-reux, cama-rade; and always take over vr: li-vraison. If a consonant is doubled, the consonants may be divided: mil-lion, pil-lard, in-nocent. It is optional to divide ob-scurité or obs-curité, according to convenience. Vowels are divided only in compound words: e.g. extra-ordinaire; not Mo-abite, mo-yen.
In compound words an apostrophe may be divided from a consonant following; thus: grand’-mère, grand’-route.
Divide sei-gneur, indi-gnité (gn pronounced as ni in ‘mania’), i.e. take gn over.
The following divisions should be avoided: Ma-ximilien, soi-xante, Me-xique; é-légant. In a narrow measure a syllable of two letters may stand at the end of a line: ce-pendant, in-décis; but a syllable of two letters must not be taken over to the next line; therefore élégan-ce, adversi-té, are not permissible; but élégan-ces, mar-que, abri-cot, are tolerated.
Avoid terminating a paragraph with only the final syllable of a word in the last line.
Verbs taking the so-called euphonic t should always be divided before the latter, thus: Viendra- | t-il?
Avoid dividing abbreviated words.
Etymological division finds no favour in French, unless it is in accord with épellation, or syllabication, as in trans-porter, trans-poser. But divide transi-tion, transi-ger.
Mute syllables may be turned over to the next line, thus: ils mar-quent, les hom-mes.