Hyphenation ofcomptes-chèques

French Word Analysis: comptes-chèques

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "comptes-chèques" is a compound noun in French, meaning "checking accounts." It consists of two parts: "comptes" (accounts) and "chèques" (checks). The pronunciation involves nasal vowels and liaison possibilities.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• comptes:
  • Prefix: None
  • Root: compte (Latin computare - to calculate, reckon) - meaning "account"
  • Suffix: -es (French plural marker)
• chèques:
  • Prefix: None
  • Root: chèque (from Arabic saqq - a written order for payment) - meaning "check"
  • Suffix: -s (French plural marker)

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress generally falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. In this compound noun, the stress is on the last syllable of the second element, "chèques."

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃t.ʃɛk/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "comptes" and "chèques" is possible in fluent speech, creating a smoother transition. However, the syllabification remains the same regardless of liaison.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Comptes-chèques" functions exclusively as a noun (plural). Syllabification does not change based on grammatical role.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Checking accounts.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine plural)
• Translation: Checking accounts
• Synonyms: dépôts à vue (demand deposits)
• Antonyms: comptes d'épargne (savings accounts)
• Examples:
  • "J'ai plusieurs comptes-chèques." (I have several checking accounts.)
  • "Il a ouvert un nouveau compte-chèque." (He opened a new checking account.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• tables: ta-bles /tabl/ - Similar vowel structure, but simpler consonant clusters.
• montres: mon-tres /mɔ̃tʁ/ - Nasal vowel and consonant cluster, similar to "comptes."
• fenêtres: fe-nê-tres /fə.nɛtʁ/ - Multiple syllables, vowel clusters, and consonant clusters.

The syllable division in "comptes-chèques" is more complex due to the compound structure and the presence of nasal vowels. The other words demonstrate simpler syllable structures.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.
2. Consonant Cluster Rule: Pronounceable consonant clusters are kept together within a syllable.
3. Stress Rule: Stress falls on the last syllable of the word or phrase.

Special Considerations:

• The compound nature of the word requires treating each element ("comptes" and "chèques") separately for initial syllabification.
• Liaison between the words is a phonetic phenomenon that doesn't affect the orthographic syllabification.
• Nasal vowels require careful consideration as they influence syllable boundaries.