Hyphenation ofinterdépendants

Linguistic Analysis of "interdépendants" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "interdépendants" is a French adjective meaning "interdependent." Its pronunciation involves a complex interplay of liaison, elision, and vowel harmony typical of French.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are pronounced as separate syllables, the word is divided as follows (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: inter- (Latin inter- meaning "between, among"). Function: Creates a reciprocal or mutual relationship.
• Root: dépend- (from Latin dependere meaning "to hang down from, to rely on"). Function: Expresses the concept of reliance or dependence.
• Suffix: -ants (French adjectival suffix, derived from Latin -antes). Function: Forms an adjective indicating a quality or characteristic.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɛ̃.tɛʁ.de.pɑ̃.dɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review:

The nasal vowels /ɛ̃/ and /ɑ̃/ require careful consideration. The "en" and "an" sequences are nasalized. The "d" between vowels can be subject to elision in rapid speech, but it remains in the standard pronunciation.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Interdépendants" primarily functions as an adjective. As an adjective, the stress pattern remains consistent. It can also function as a noun (less common), referring to interdependent people or entities. In this case, the stress would remain on the final syllable.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Characterized by mutual reliance; dependent on each other.
• Translation: Interdependent
• Grammatical Category: Adjective (masculine plural)
• Synonyms: liés, connectés, associés
• Antonyms: indépendants, autonomes
• Examples:
  • "Les économies mondiales sont de plus en plus interdépendantes." (Global economies are becoming increasingly interdependent.)
  • "Les deux pays ont des relations interdépendantes." (The two countries have interdependent relationships.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "indépendants" (independent): in-dé-pen-dants. Syllable structure is similar, with a prefix and a root followed by the "-ants" suffix. The initial consonant cluster is handled similarly.
• "dépendant" (dependent): dé-pen-dant. A shorter version, but the core syllable structure of "dé-pen-" remains consistent.
• "interconnectés" (interconnected): in-tɛʁ.kɔ̃.kte. The "inter-" prefix is present, and the final vowel + consonant structure is similar to "-dants".

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation are subtle. Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel sounds in unstressed syllables, but the core syllabification remains consistent.

11. Syllable Division Rules Applied:

• Rule 1: Vowel-Based Syllabification: French syllables are generally built around vowel sounds. Each vowel sound (including nasal vowels) forms the nucleus of a syllable.
• Rule 2: Consonant Cluster Handling: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are easily pronounceable as separate syllables (e.g., in liaison).
• Rule 3: Final Syllable Stress: Stress typically falls on the final syllable of a word.
• Rule 4: Prefix/Suffix Separation: Prefixes and suffixes are generally separated into distinct syllables.