Hyphenation ofsous-intendant

Analysis of "sous-intendant"

1. Pronunciation: The word "sous-intendant" is pronounced /su.z‿ɛ̃.tɑ̃.dɑ̃/. The liaison between "sous" and "intendant" is common and expected.

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Old French, from Latin sub- meaning "under, below"). Morphological function: adverbial prefix indicating position or degree.
• Root: intendant- (Old French, from Latin intendere meaning "to stretch out, attend to"). Morphological function: agent noun, denoting someone who attends to or manages.
• Suffix: -∅ (zero suffix). The word doesn't have a clearly identifiable suffix beyond the root.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the final syllable: /su.z‿ɛ̃.tɑ̃.dɑ̃/. This is typical for French nouns and adjectives.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /su.z‿ɛ̃.tɑ̃.dɑ̃/

6. Edge Case Review: The liaison between "sous" and "intendant" is a crucial element. Without it, the syllabification and pronunciation would change. The nasal vowels /ɛ̃/ and /ɑ̃/ require careful consideration.

7. Grammatical Role: "Sous-intendant" functions primarily as a noun, meaning "subintendent" or "deputy superintendent." The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical role.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A deputy superintendent; a person who assists a superintendent in their duties.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
• Translation: Deputy superintendent, subintendent
• Synonyms: adjoint, assistant
• Antonyms: superintendent, directeur
• Examples: "Le sous-intendant a pris des notes pendant la réunion." (The deputy superintendent took notes during the meeting.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• "sous-officier": sou-soff-i-cier. Similar prefix "sous-", similar final syllable structure.
• "commandant": com-man-dant. Shares the "-ant" ending, demonstrating a common pattern in French noun formation.
• "superintendant": su-per-in-ten-dant. Similar root and ending, showing how French adapts loanwords.

Syllable Breakdown Details:

• sou: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant. No exceptions.
• s-in: /z‿ɛ̃/ - Liaison creates a complex onset. Rule: Liaison between words, creating a consonant cluster. Exception: Liaison is optional but common in formal speech.
• ten: /tɑ̃/ - Nasal vowel syllable. Rule: Nasal vowel forms a syllable nucleus. No exceptions.
• dant: /dɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster closes the syllable. No exceptions.

Exceptions and Special Cases:

• The liaison between "sous" and "intendant" is a key consideration.
• Nasal vowels require specific syllabic analysis.

Division Rules Applied:

• Maximize Onsets: Syllables prefer to begin with consonants whenever possible.
• Vowel as Nucleus: Each syllable must have a vowel nucleus.
• Liaison Rule: Consonants at the end of one word can link to vowels at the beginning of the next.