Hyphenation ofcontremarquasses

Analysis of "contremarquasses"

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "contremarquasses" is a relatively complex French word. It features consonant clusters and vowel sequences that require careful consideration when applying syllabification rules. The pronunciation involves liaison possibilities and potential vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking up consonant clusters unless absolutely necessary, the word divides as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: contre- (Latin contra - against, opposing). Function: Opposition.
• Root: marque- (Latin marca - mark, boundary). Function: Core meaning related to marking or boundaries.
• Suffix: -asses (From Old French asse, ultimately from Latin ad-, indicating a collective or plural form, often with a depreciative connotation). Function: Forms a plural noun, often implying a group of inferior quality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress in French typically falls on the last syllable of a word or phrase. In this case, the stress falls on "-asses".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ̃.tʁə.maʁ.kas/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

• con-: /kɔ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel sounds. The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ forms the nucleus. Exception: The 'n' is part of the vowel sound, not a separate consonant.
• tre-: /tʁə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'e' forms the nucleus. The 'tr' cluster is permissible at the beginning of a syllable.
• mar-: /maʁ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'a' forms the nucleus. The 'r' is a rhotic consonant.
• qua-: /ka/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'a' forms the nucleus. The 'qu' is a digraph representing /k/.
• sses: /sas/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel sound 'a' forms the nucleus. The 'ss' cluster is permissible at the end of a syllable.

7. Edge Case Review:

The 'tr' and 'qu' clusters are common in French and don't pose significant syllabification challenges. The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ in the first syllable is a standard feature of French phonology. The final 'sses' is a common plural marker.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Contremarquasses" is a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A group of inferior or worthless marks, brands, or people. Often used figuratively to describe a collection of undesirable elements.
• Translation: Counter-marks, worthless brands, rabble.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine plural)
• Synonyms: rebuts, avortons, rebuts de société
• Antonyms: élite, crème de la crème
• Examples: "Il était entouré de contremarquasses." (He was surrounded by rabble.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /kɔ̃.tʁə.maʁ.kas/, some regional variations might exhibit slight vowel reductions in unstressed syllables (e.g., /kɔ̃.tʁə.maʁ.kas/). However, these variations do not significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• camarades: /ka.ma.ʁad/ - Syllables: ca-ma-rades. Similar structure with open syllables and a final consonant cluster.
• quadruples: /ka.dʁy.plə/ - Syllables: qua-dru-ples. Shares the 'qua' cluster and similar vowel patterns.
• remarques: /ʁə.maʁk/ - Syllables: re-mar-ques. Similar prefix and root structure, with a final 's' sound.

The syllable division in "contremarquasses" is consistent with these similar words, demonstrating the application of standard French syllabification rules. The presence of consonant clusters and vowel sequences is handled in a similar manner across these examples.