Hyphenation ofinterdépendance

Linguistic Analysis of "interdépendance" (French)

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word "interdépendance" is pronounced with a relatively even stress distribution, though the final syllable receives a slight emphasis. The 'r' is a uvular fricative, typical of French. Vowel sounds are generally clear and distinct.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid syllable-initial consonant clusters where possible, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: inter- (Latin, meaning "between" or "among") - functions as a prepositional prefix.
• Root: dépend- (from Latin dependere, meaning "to hang down from," then "to rely on") - the core meaning of reliance.
• Suffix: -ance (Latin -antia, forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality) - nominalizing suffix.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: dé. While French stress is generally less prominent than in English, this syllable is slightly more emphasized.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɛ̃.tɛʁ.de.pɑ̃.dɑ̃s/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• in- /ɛ̃/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. No consonant clusters to break up. Exception: Nasal vowel.
• ter- /tɛʁ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant 'r' follows the vowel, closing the syllable. Exception: The 'r' is a uvular fricative, which can sometimes influence syllabification.
• dé- /de/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel nucleus followed by a consonant. This syllable receives primary stress.
• pen- /pɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Nasal vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: Nasal vowel.
• dance /dɑ̃s/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel nucleus followed by a consonant cluster 'ns'. Exception: Nasal vowel.

7. Edge Case Review:

French syllabification generally avoids leaving a single consonant at the beginning of a syllable unless it's part of a consonant cluster. This rule is followed here. The nasal vowels introduce a slight complexity, but they function as vowel nuclei.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Interdépendance" is primarily a noun. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of grammatical function.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: The state of being mutually dependent; reciprocal reliance.
• Translation: Interdependence
• Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine)
• Synonyms: mutualité, solidarité, connexion
• Antonyms: indépendance, autonomie
• Examples: "L'interdépendance des nations est cruciale pour la paix mondiale." (The interdependence of nations is crucial for world peace.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is as transcribed above, some regional variations might exist in the articulation of the 'r' sound (e.g., a more alveolar 'r' in some southern regions). These variations wouldn't significantly alter the syllabification.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• importance: im-por-tance (similar vowel structure, stress on the penultimate syllable)
• différence: dif-fé-rence (similar suffix '-ence', stress on the penultimate syllable)
• indépendance: in-dé-pen-dance (similar prefix 'in-', suffix '-ance', stress on the penultimate syllable)

These words demonstrate a consistent pattern of syllabification and stress placement in French words with similar morphological structures. The presence of prefixes and suffixes, along with vowel nuclei, dictates the syllable boundaries.