Hyphenation ofsous-secrétariat

Analysis of "sous-secrétariat"

1. Pronunciation: The word "sous-secrétariat" is pronounced /su.sɛ.kʁe.ta.ʁja/.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants, is: sous-sé-cré-ta-riat.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: sous- (Latin sub- meaning "under"). Function: Indicates a position or degree below.
• Root: secrét- (Latin secretus meaning "hidden, private"). Function: Core meaning related to secrecy or administration.
• Suffix: -ariat (French suffix denoting a collective of people associated with a function or office). Function: Forms a noun denoting a body or office.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: /su.sɛ.kʁe.ta.ʁja/. This follows the general rule in French where stress typically falls on the last syllable of a phrase or, within a phrase, on the last syllable of a word.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /su.sɛ.kʁe.ta.ʁja/

6. Edge Case Review: French syllabification generally avoids consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables. The "cr" cluster in "cré" is permissible, but the "s" in "sous" is often considered to form its own syllable.

7. Grammatical Role: "Sous-secrétariat" functions primarily as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A sub-secretariat; a department or office headed by a sub-secretary.
• Translation: Under-secretaryship
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
• Synonyms: Direction, service, département
• Antonyms: Secrétariat général (General Secretariat)
• Examples: "Le sous-secrétariat a publié un communiqué de presse." (The under-secretaryship published a press release.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• Administration: a-dmi-ni-stra-tion. Similar syllable structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
• Organisation: o-rga-ni-sa-tion. Similar syllable structure, with a final "-tion" suffix. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
• Département: dé-par-te-ment. Similar syllable structure, with a penultimate stress.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

• sous: /su/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel. Exception: The 's' can sometimes be considered a separate syllable, but is more commonly grouped with the vowel.
• sé: /sɛ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel.
• cré: /kʁe/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable if possible.
• ta: /ta/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel.
• riat: /ʁja/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllable division occurs before a vowel, and the final consonant cluster is maintained.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

• The initial "sous-" could be argued to be a separate syllable, but is generally pronounced as a single unit.
• The "cr" cluster is a common exception to the rule of maximizing onsets, but is accepted in French.

Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel Division: Syllables are generally divided before vowels.
• Onset Maximization: Consonant clusters are maintained within a syllable whenever possible.
• Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left alone to form a syllable.