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Hyphenation ofcliëntondersteuning

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

cli-ënt-on-der-steu-ning

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/ˈkli.ɛnt.ɔn.dər.støː.nɪŋ/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

100111

Primary stress falls on the 'on' syllable. Secondary stress on the 'ning' syllable. The stress pattern is typical for Dutch compound nouns.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

cli/kli/

Open syllable, onset 'cl', nucleus 'i'

ënt/ɛnt/

Closed syllable, onset 'ɛn', nucleus 't'

on/ɔn/

Closed syllable, onset 'ɔ', nucleus 'n'

der/dər/

Closed syllable, onset 'd', nucleus 'ər'

steu/støː/

Closed syllable, onset 'st', nucleus 'øː'

ning/nɪŋ/

Closed syllable, onset 'n', nucleus 'ɪŋ'

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

on(prefix)
+
steun(root)
+
ing(suffix)

Prefix: on

Derived from Middle Dutch 'onder' (under), indicating a supporting role.

Root: steun

Germanic origin, meaning 'support'.

Suffix: ing

Nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb or adjective.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The act of providing assistance or aid to clients.

Translation: Client support

Examples:

"De cliëntondersteuning is erg belangrijk."

"We bieden professionele cliëntondersteuning."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

verantwoordelijkheidver-ant-woor-de-lijk-heid

Similar compound structure and syllabic pattern.

informatievoorzieningin-for-ma-tie-voor-zie-ning

Compound noun with comparable syllabification rules.

werkgelegenheidwerk-ge-le-gen-heid

Demonstrates typical Dutch compounding and syllabification.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Dutch attempts to maximize consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables.

Vowel-Centric Syllabification

Each syllable generally contains one vowel sound.

Compound Word Syllabification

Compounds are broken down into their constituent morphemes, and each morpheme is syllabified according to the general rules.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The 'ë' in 'cliënt' is a silent vowel that affects the syllabification.

The 'onder' prefix is consistently treated as a single syllable.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'cliëntondersteuning' is a Dutch compound noun syllabified into cli-ënt-on-der-steu-ning. It consists of the morphemes 'cliënt' (client), 'on' (prefix), 'der' (part of 'onder'), 'steu' (from 'steun' - support), and 'ning' (nominalizing suffix). The primary stress falls on the 'on' syllable. Syllabification follows Dutch rules of onset maximization and vowel-centric structure.

Detailed Analysis:

Dutch Word Analysis: cliëntondersteuning

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "cliëntondersteuning" (client support) is a compound noun in Dutch. It's pronounced with a relatively even stress distribution, though the final syllable receives slightly more emphasis. The 'ë' in 'cliënt' is pronounced as a schwa /ə/.

2. Syllable Division:

cli-ënt-on-der-steu-ning

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • cliënt: Borrowed from French "client", ultimately from Latin "cliens" (one who depends on another). Noun.
  • on-der: Prefix derived from Middle Dutch "onder" (under). Indicates a supporting or subordinate role.
  • steu-ning: Root "steun" (support) + suffix "-ing" (nominalizing suffix, forming a noun denoting an action or state). "Steun" is Germanic in origin.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the 'on' syllable. A secondary stress is present on the 'ning' syllable.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈkli.ɛnt.ɔn.dər.støː.nɪŋ/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch syllable structure is generally (C)VC, but allows for more complex clusters, especially in compounds. The 'nt' cluster in 'cliënt' and 'steu' are typical. The 'onder' segment is a common prefix and doesn't present unusual syllabification challenges.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is primarily a noun. Its syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The act of providing assistance or aid to clients.
  • Translation: Client support (English)
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (de cliëntondersteuning)
  • Synonyms: hulpverlening (assistance), bijstand (aid)
  • Antonyms: belemmering (hindrance), obstructie (obstruction)
  • Examples:
    • "De cliëntondersteuning is erg belangrijk." (Client support is very important.)
    • "We bieden professionele cliëntondersteuning." (We offer professional client support.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • verantwoordelijkheid (responsibility): ver-ant-woor-de-lijk-heid. Similar compound structure, with stress on the third syllable.
  • informatievoorziening (information provision): in-for-ma-tie-voor-zie-ning. Again, a compound noun with a similar syllabic pattern.
  • werkgelegenheid (employment): werk-ge-le-gen-heid. Demonstrates the typical Dutch pattern of compounding and syllabification.

The differences in stress placement are due to the inherent rhythmic patterns of the individual morphemes and the overall length of the compound. Longer compounds tend to have more distributed stress.

10. Division Rules:

  • Onset Maximization: Dutch attempts to maximize onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable).
  • Vowel-Centric Syllabification: Each syllable generally contains one vowel sound.
  • Compound Word Syllabification: Compounds are broken down into their constituent morphemes, and each morpheme is syllabified according to the general rules.

11. Special Considerations:

The 'ë' in 'cliënt' is a silent vowel that affects the syllabification by creating a syllable boundary. The 'onder' prefix is consistently treated as a single syllable.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might exist, but they generally don't affect the syllabification. Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in unstressed syllables.

13. Syllable Analysis:

  • cli: /kli/ - Open syllable, onset 'cl', nucleus 'i'.
  • ënt: /ɛnt/ - Closed syllable, onset 'ɛn', nucleus 't'.
  • on: /ɔn/ - Closed syllable, onset 'ɔ', nucleus 'n'.
  • der: /dər/ - Closed syllable, onset 'd', nucleus 'ər'.
  • steu: /støː/ - Closed syllable, onset 'st', nucleus 'øː'.
  • ning: /nɪŋ/ - Closed syllable, onset 'n', nucleus 'ɪŋ'.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/11/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.