Hyphenation ofbouton-poussoir

French Word Analysis: bouton-poussoir

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "bouton-poussoir" (push-button) is a compound noun in French. It consists of two parts: "bouton" (button) and "poussoir" (pusher). The pronunciation involves liaison possibilities, particularly between "bouton" and "poussoir" depending on the following word in a sentence.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex, the division is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• bouton:
  • Origin: Old French "boton" from Latin "bullō" (seal, stamp, button).
  • Function: Noun, root meaning "button".
• poussoir:
  • Origin: From the verb "pousser" (to push) + the suffix "-oir".
  • Function: Noun, derived from a verb, meaning "pusher" or "thing that pushes". The suffix "-oir" is a common French suffix forming nouns denoting instruments or agents.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress generally falls on the last syllable of a word or the last pronounced syllable if the final vowel is elided. In this compound noun, the primary stress falls on the last syllable of "poussoir".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/bu.tɔ̃.pu.swaʁ/

6. Edge Case Review:

Compound nouns in French can sometimes present challenges in syllabification, but the rule of maintaining vowel-consonant groupings generally applies. Liaison between the two parts is possible in connected speech, but doesn't affect the underlying syllabic structure.

7. Grammatical Role:

"bouton-poussoir" functions exclusively as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A button that is pressed to activate a device or mechanism.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
• Translation: Push-button
• Synonyms: bouton d'activation (activation button), interrupteur à bouton (button switch)
• Antonyms: None directly applicable.
• Examples:
  • "Appuyez sur le bouton-poussoir pour démarrer la machine." (Press the push-button to start the machine.)
  • "Le bouton-poussoir était rouge et brillant." (The push-button was red and shiny.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• voiture (car): vo-i-ture /vwa.tyʁ/ - Similar vowel-consonant structure, stress on the final syllable.
• ordinateur (computer): or-di-na-teur /ɔʁ.di.na.tœʁ/ - Multiple syllables, stress on the final syllable.
• telephone (telephone): té-lé-pho-ne /te.le.fɔn/ - Similar vowel-consonant structure, stress on the final syllable.

The syllable division in "bouton-poussoir" follows the same pattern as these words: prioritizing vowel sounds and placing stress on the final syllable. The compound nature of "bouton-poussoir" doesn't significantly alter the syllabification rules applied to each component.

Syllable Analysis Details:

• bou: /bu/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.
• ton: /tɔ̃/ - Closed syllable, containing a vowel, a nasal consonant, and a consonant.
• pous: /pu/ - Open syllable, containing a vowel and a consonant.
• soir: /swaʁ/ - Closed syllable, containing a vowel, a consonant, and a consonant.

Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel Peak: Each syllable contains a vowel sound as its nucleus.
• Consonant Clustering: Consonant clusters are maintained within syllables unless they are complex and disrupt the flow of pronunciation.
• Avoidance of Single-Letter Syllables: French avoids creating syllables consisting of a single consonant.

Special Considerations:

• Liaison: The potential for liaison between "bouton" and "poussoir" in connected speech doesn't affect the underlying syllabification.
• Compound Noun: The compound nature of the word doesn't introduce any unique syllabification rules.