Hyphenation ofcontre-attaquer

Analysis of "contre-attaquer"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "contre-attaquer" is a French verb meaning "to counterattack." It's a compound verb formed by a prefix and a verb root. 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:

• Prefix: contre- (from Old French contre, ultimately from Latin contra meaning "against"). Function: Indicates opposition or reversal.
• Root: attaquer (from Old French atake, ultimately from Old High German tahagon meaning "to attack"). Function: The core verb meaning "to attack."
• Suffix: None. The verb is in its infinitive form.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress generally falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. In this case, the stress falls on the final syllable, "-quer".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃tʁ.a.tak.e/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "contre" and "attaquer" is common in fluent speech, creating a smoother pronunciation. However, for syllabification, we treat them as separate units initially.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Contre-attaquer" is primarily a verb. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: To respond to an attack by one of one's own; to launch a counteroffensive.
• Grammatical Category: Verb (infinitive)
• Translation: To counterattack
• Synonyms: riposter, répliquer
• Antonyms: attaquer, agresser
• Examples:
  • "L'armée a dû contre-attaquer pour reprendre le terrain." (The army had to counterattack to retake the territory.)
  • "Il a contre-attaqué verbalement après avoir été critiqué." (He verbally counterattacked after being criticized.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• comparer: /kɔ̃.pa.ʁe/ - Syllable division: com-pa-rer. Similar vowel sounds and final -er ending. Stress on the last syllable.
• découvrir: /de.ku.vʁiʁ/ - Syllable division: dé-cou-vrir. Similar final -ir ending. Stress on the last syllable.
• rencontrer: /ʁɑ̃.kɔ̃tʁe/ - Syllable division: ren-con-trer. Similar nasal vowel sounds and final -er ending. Stress on the last syllable.

The syllable structure in "contre-attaquer" is consistent with these words in terms of vowel-consonant patterns and stress placement. The compound nature of "contre-attaquer" is the main difference, leading to a slightly longer word with more syllables.

10. Syllable Breakdown with Rules & Exceptions:

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Open Syllable Rule: Syllables ending in a vowel sound are generally considered open syllables. This is the primary rule applied here.
• Avoid Breaking Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are kept together unless they can be naturally pronounced as separate syllables.

12. Special Considerations:

The hyphen in "contre-attaquer" is a morphological marker indicating a compound verb. While it doesn't directly affect syllabification, it's important to acknowledge its presence.

13. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Liaison between "contre" and "attaquer" is common, resulting in a pronunciation closer to /kɔ̃tʁatak/. This doesn't change the underlying syllabification, but affects the perceived flow of the word.

14. Short Analysis:

"Contre-attaquer" is a French verb meaning "to counterattack." It's syllabified as con-tre-at-ta-quer, with stress on the final syllable. It's a compound verb consisting of the prefix "contre-" and the root "attaquer." Syllabification follows the open syllable rule, prioritizing vowel sounds.