Hyphenation ofquartier-maître

Linguistic Analysis of "quartier-maître"

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

"Quartier-maître" is a compound noun in French, meaning "quartermaster" or "boatswain" (in a naval context). Its pronunciation reflects its composite structure. The liaison between "quartier" and "maître" is common, but not obligatory.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and respecting vowel clusters, is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• quartier: From Old French quartier, from Vulgar Latin quartarium ("fourth part, district"), ultimately from Latin quattuor ("four"). Function: Noun, denoting a part or district.
• maître: From Old French maistre, from Latin magister ("teacher, master"). Function: Noun, denoting a master or someone in charge.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the final syllable of "maître".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kaʁ.tje.mɛtʁ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The hyphenated nature of the compound presents a slight edge case. While each component would be syllabified independently, the compound functions as a single word for stress and intonation purposes.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Quartier-maître" functions exclusively as a noun. There are no syllabification or stress shifts based on grammatical function.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A senior petty officer in the French Navy, responsible for the crew's welfare and discipline. Also, a boatswain.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
• Synonyms: chef de quart (watch chief), officier de marine (naval officer - broader term)
• Antonyms: matelot (ordinary seaman)
• Examples:
  • "Le quartier-maître a vérifié les cabines." (The quartermaster checked the cabins.)
  • "Il est devenu quartier-maître après des années de service." (He became a quartermaster after years of service.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• ordinateur: or-di-na-teur /ɔʁ.di.na.tœʁ/ - Similar syllable structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the final syllable.
• bibliothèque: bi-blio-thè-que /bi.bli.ɔ.tɛk/ - Similar vowel clusters and stress pattern.
• université: u-ni-ver-si-té /y.ni.vɛʁ.si.te/ - Similar in having multiple syllables and a final stressed syllable.

The differences lie in the specific consonant clusters and vowel qualities, but the overall syllable structure and stress placement are consistent with French phonology.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Division Rules Applied:

1. Maximize Onsets: French favors syllables with consonant onsets whenever possible.
2. Vowel-Initial Syllables: Syllables beginning with vowels are common and readily formed.
3. Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally maintained as onsets or codas unless they violate phonotactic constraints.

Special Considerations:

• The hyphen in "quartier-maître" indicates a compound word, but doesn't fundamentally alter the syllabification rules applied to each component.
• Liaison between "quartier" and "maître" is possible but doesn't affect the syllable division.

Short Analysis:

"Quartier-maître" is a compound noun syllabified as quar-tier-maî-tre, with stress on the final syllable. It's composed of Latin-derived morphemes and follows standard French phonological rules for syllable structure and stress placement. The compound nature is acknowledged, but doesn't alter the core syllabification process.