Hyphenation ofcollega-burgemeester

Dutch Word Analysis: collega-burgemeester

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "collega-burgemeester" (colleague-mayor) is a compound noun in Dutch. It's pronounced with relatively straightforward vowel and consonant sounds, though the 'g' can vary regionally (see section 10). The stress pattern is crucial for correct pronunciation.

2. Syllable Division:

col-le-ga-bur-ge-mees-ter

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• collega: (Latin collega - "fellow, associate") - Noun, meaning "colleague".
• burgemeester: (Dutch burg - "town, city" + meester - "master") - Noun, meaning "mayor".

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable of the second component, "mees" in "burgemeester". Therefore, the overall stress pattern is on "mees".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kɔ.ləˈɣa ˈbʏr.ɣə.meːs.tər/ (Note: The 'g' is a voiced velar fricative /ɣ/, but can be realized as a /x/ in some regions.)

6. Syllable Analysis & Rule Application:

• col: /kɔl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. No consonant clusters prevent division here.
• le: /lə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.
• ga: /ɣa/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.
• bur: /bʏr/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.
• ge: /ɣə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.
• mees: /meːs/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. This syllable receives primary stress.
• ter: /tər/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei.

7. Edge Case Review & Exceptions:

Dutch syllable division generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable). However, in compounds like this, the division often reflects the morphemic boundaries. There are no significant exceptions in this case.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: collega-burgemeester
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Definitions:
  • "A colleague who is also a mayor."
  • "An acting mayor, often a deputy mayor filling in for the official mayor."
• Translation: Colleague-mayor, Acting Mayor
• Synonyms: waarnemend burgemeester (acting mayor)
• Antonyms: None directly applicable.
• Examples:
  • "De collega-burgemeester nam de opening voor zijn rekening." (The colleague-mayor took care of the opening.)
  • "Zij werd benoemd tot collega-burgemeester tijdens de afwezigheid van de burgemeester." (She was appointed colleague-mayor during the mayor's absence.)

10. Phonological Comparison:

• huisarts: (doctor) - huis-arts. Similar open syllable structure.
• schoolbord: (blackboard) - school-bord. Similar compound structure and syllable division.
• watermeloen: (watermelon) - wa-ter-me-loen. Demonstrates how longer compounds are divided, though with more syllables.

The key difference is the length and complexity of the compound. "collega-burgemeester" is a relatively long compound, requiring more syllable divisions than shorter words like "huisarts".

11. Alternative Pronunciations & Regional Variations:

The pronunciation of the 'g' sound varies significantly across Dutch regions. In the Randstad area (western Netherlands), it's typically a voiced velar fricative /ɣ/. In the eastern and southern regions, it's often a voiceless velar fricative /x/. This variation doesn't affect the syllable division, but it does impact the phonetic realization.