Hyphenation ofsous-gouverneurs

Analysis of "sous-gouverneurs"

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "sous-gouverneurs" presents challenges due to the liaison possibilities and the presence of multiple consonants. The pronunciation will vary slightly depending on the context and speed of speech.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Old French, from Latin sub- meaning "under, below"). Function: Indicates position or degree.
• Root: gouverneur- (Old French, from Latin gubernator meaning "helmsman, ruler"). Function: Core meaning of "governor".
• Suffix: -s (French). Function: Marks pluralization.

4. Stress Identification:

In French, stress typically falls on the last syllable of a word or a group of words. In this case, the stress falls on "-neurs".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/su.ɡu.vɛʁ.nœʁ/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• sou: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. No exceptions.
• -s: /s/ - Syllable consisting of a single consonant. Rule: Consonants can form syllables, especially after a vowel. Exception: This is a very short syllable, often elided in rapid speech.
• -gou: /ɡu/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant followed by a vowel. No exceptions.
• -ver: /vɛʁ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster. The 'r' is a rhotic consonant. No exceptions.
• -neurs: /nœʁ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster. The 'r' is a rhotic consonant. This syllable receives the primary stress. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review:

The liaison between "sous" and "gouverneurs" is possible in connected speech, potentially blurring the syllable boundaries. However, for isolated word analysis, the above division is more accurate.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Sous-gouverneurs" is exclusively a noun, specifically a plural noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: "Sous-gouverneurs" refers to deputy governors or vice-governors.
• Translation: Deputy governors, vice-governors.
• Part of Speech: Noun (masculine plural)
• Synonyms: Vice-gouverneurs, gouverneurs adjoints
• Antonyms: Gouverneur (governor)
• Examples:
  • "Les sous-gouverneurs ont participé à la réunion." (The deputy governors attended the meeting.)
  • "Il a été nommé sous-gouverneur de la banque." (He was appointed deputy governor of the bank.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the standard pronunciation is /su.ɡu.vɛʁ.nœʁ/, some regional variations might exhibit slight differences in vowel quality or the pronunciation of the 'r' sound. However, these variations do not significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• gouvernement: /ɡu.vɛʁ.nə.mɑ̃/ - Syllables: gou-ver-ne-ment. Similar structure with vowel-consonant patterns. Stress on the last syllable.
• sous-marin: /su.ma.ʁɛ̃/ - Syllables: sous-ma-rin. Similar prefix "sous-". Stress on the last syllable.
• conséquences: /kɔ̃.se.kɑ̃s/ - Syllables: cons-é-quences. Demonstrates a similar pattern of vowel-consonant syllables and stress on the final syllable.