Hyphenation ofafscheidsbijeenkomst

Dutch Word Analysis: afscheidsbijeenkomst

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "afscheidsbijeenkomst" (farewell gathering) is a compound noun in Dutch. Its pronunciation involves a complex sequence of sounds, including several consonant clusters and diphthongs.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, the word is divided as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: af- (Germanic origin) - Function: Separative, indicating removal or completion.
• Root: scheid- (Germanic origin, related to 'scheiden' - to separate) - Function: Core meaning of separation.
• Suffix: -ings- (Dutch suffix) - Function: Nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb.
• Suffix: -bijeen- (Dutch compound element) - Function: Indicates a gathering or coming together.
• Suffix: -komst (Dutch suffix) - Function: Nominalizing suffix, indicating an event or occurrence.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable: bij-een-komst.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɑfˈsχɛitsbɪˈjɛnˌkɔmst/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• af-: /ɑf/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division generally occurs before a vowel. No exceptions.
• -scheids: /sχɛits/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable. Exception: The 'sch' cluster is treated as a single unit.
• -bij: /bɪj/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division before a vowel. No exceptions.
• -een: /ɛn/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllable division before a vowel. No exceptions.
• -komst: /kɔmst/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllable division before a vowel, and consonant clusters remain intact. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for some flexibility in compound word syllabification, but the above division is the most common and phonologically justifiable. The 'sch' cluster is a common exception, treated as a single phoneme.

8. Grammatical Role:

"afscheidsbijeenkomst" is primarily a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function (as it's not inflected).

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A gathering or meeting held to say farewell to someone.
• Translation: Farewell gathering, farewell party.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (de afscheidsbijeenkomst)
• Synonyms: afscheidsfeest (farewell party), afscheidsreceptie (farewell reception)
• Antonyms: welkomstbijeenkomst (welcome gathering)
• Examples:
  • "De afscheidsbijeenkomst van de directeur was goed bezocht." (The director's farewell gathering was well-attended.)
  • "We organiseerden een afscheidsbijeenkomst voor onze collega." (We organized a farewell gathering for our colleague.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in pronunciation might affect vowel quality (e.g., a more open or closed 'e' sound), but the core syllabification remains consistent.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• werkloosheid (unemployment): wer-kloos-heid. Similar structure with compound elements and stress on the penultimate syllable.
• verantwoordelijkheid (responsibility): ver-ant-woor-de-lijk-heid. Longer compound, but follows similar syllabification rules.
• schoolvoorbeeld (textbook example): school-voor-beeld. Demonstrates the division before vowels and maintaining consonant clusters.

The differences in syllable count are due to the varying lengths of the compound elements. The core rules of syllabification – division before vowels and maintaining consonant clusters – remain consistent across these examples.