code: public String getHyphenatedWordPre(String word, BaseFont font, float fontSize, float remainingWidth) {
          post = word;
          String hyphen = getHyphenSymbol();
          float hyphenWidth = font.getWidthPoint(hyphen, fontSize);
          if (hyphenWidth > remainingWidth)
              return "";
          Hyphenation hyphenation = hyphenator.hyphenate(word);
          if (hyphenation == null) {
              return "";
          }
          int len = hyphenation.length();
          int k;
          for (k = 0; k < len; ++k) {
              if (font.getWidthPoint(hyphenation.getPreHyphenText(k), fontSize) + hyphenWidth > remainingWidth)
                  break;
          }
          --k;
          if (k < 0)
              return "";
          post = hyphenation.getPostHyphenText(k);
          return hyphenation.getPreHyphenText(k) + hyphen;
      }
docs: Hyphenates a word and returns the first part of it. To get
  the second part of the hyphenated word call <CODE>getHyphenatedWordPost()</CODE>.
  @param word the word to hyphenate
  @param font the font used by this word
  @param fontSize the font size used by this word
  @param remainingWidth the width available to fit this word in
  @return the first part of the hyphenated word including
  the hyphen symbol, if any