Hyphenation ofcontre-attaquées

Analysis of "contre-attaquées"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "contre-attaquées" is a complex verb form in French, specifically the feminine plural past participle of the verb "contre-attaquer" (to counterattack). Its pronunciation involves liaison and elision possibilities depending on the following context. The pronunciation is approximately /kɔ̃tʁ.a.tak.e/.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: contre- (from Old French contre, ultimately from Latin contra meaning "against"). Function: prepositional prefix indicating opposition.
• Root: attaq- (from Old French ataquer, ultimately from Old Italian attaccare meaning "to attack"). Function: verb stem.
• Suffix: -ées (past participle ending, indicating feminine plural agreement). Function: grammatical marker.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a phrase or breath group. In this case, the last syllable, "-quées", receives the primary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃.tʁ‿a.tak.e/

6. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "contre" and "attaquées" is a key consideration. The 'e' in "contre" is typically silent, but can be pronounced in liaison with a following vowel sound. The 't' in "contre" is also often elided in speech.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Contre-attaquées" functions primarily as a past participle, often used with auxiliary verbs (e.g., être, avoir) to form compound tenses. As a past participle, the stress remains on the final syllable.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Feminine plural past participle of "contre-attaquer" - to counterattack.
• Translation: Counterattacked (feminine plural)
• Grammatical Category: Past Participle (Verb)
• Synonyms: ripostées, répliquées
• Antonyms: attaquées
• Examples:
  • "Les troupes ont été contre-attaquées." (The troops were counterattacked.)
  • "Les positions ennemies furent contre-attaquées avec vigueur." (The enemy positions were counterattacked with vigor.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• attaquer: a-ta-ker (3 syllables) - Similar structure, with a vowel-consonant-vowel pattern.
• contre-attaque: kɔ̃tʁ.a.tak (3 syllables) - Shares the "contre-" prefix and "-attaque" root.
• défendues: de.fɑ̃.dy (3 syllables) - Similar ending in "-ées" indicating feminine plural past participle.

The syllable division in "contre-attaquées" is more complex due to the prefix and the liaison possibilities. The other words demonstrate simpler syllable structures.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel-Centered Syllabification: Each syllable generally contains a vowel sound.
• Consonant Cluster Rule: French allows certain consonant clusters within a syllable, but avoids breaking them unnecessarily.
• Liaison Rule: Liaison can affect pronunciation and potentially syllable boundaries, but does not change the orthographic syllable division.

Special Considerations:

• The liaison between "contre" and "attaquées" is a significant phonetic feature but doesn't alter the written syllable division.
• The past participle ending "-ées" is a common morphological marker and follows standard syllabification patterns.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in pronunciation might affect the degree of liaison or elision, but the core syllable division remains consistent.