Hyphenation ofcriminaliteitscijfer

Dutch Word Analysis: criminaliteitscijfer

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "criminaliteitscijfer" (crime rate) is a compound noun in Dutch. It's a relatively long word, and its pronunciation involves several vowel and consonant clusters. The pronunciation is [kri.mi.na.liˈtɛit.sɛi̯.fər].

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: crimi- (from Latin crimen 'crime') - indicates relation to crime.
• Root: -naliteit- (from Latin nalitas 'quality of') - relates to the quality or state of being criminal.
• Suffix: -cijfer (from Middle Dutch cifre 'number, figure') - denotes a numerical value or rate.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: -teit-.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kri.mi.na.liˈtɛit.sɛi̯.fər/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• cri-: /kri/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel. No exceptions.
• mi-: /mi/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel. No exceptions.
• na-: /na/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel. No exceptions.
• li-: /li/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel. No exceptions.
• teit-: /tɛit/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters can occur at the end of a syllable. Exception: The 'ei' diphthong is treated as a single vowel sound.
• s-: /s/ - Open syllable. Rule: Single consonants usually begin a new syllable. No exceptions.
• sei-: /sɛi̯/ - Open syllable. Rule: Diphthongs form a single vowel nucleus. No exceptions.
• fer: /fər/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel or consonant cluster. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review:

The 'cijfer' part is a relatively straightforward syllable division. The 'criminaliteit' part, with its vowel clusters and consonant blends, requires careful application of the vowel-centric syllabification rule.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word is primarily a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function (as it's a compound noun).

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: criminaliteitscijfer
• Definition: The numerical rate or statistic of criminal activity.
• Translation: Crime rate
• Part of Speech: Noun (het)
• Synonyms: misdaadcijfer (crime figure), criminaliteitspercentage (criminality percentage)
• Antonyms: veiligheidscijfer (safety rate)
• Examples:
  • "Het criminaliteitscijfer is de afgelopen jaren gestegen." (The crime rate has increased in recent years.)
  • "De politie publiceerde de laatste criminaliteitscijfers." (The police published the latest crime figures.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

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

11. Phonological Comparison:

• universiteit: u-ni-ver-si-teit - Similar vowel clusters and syllable structure. Stress falls on the penultimate syllable, like "criminaliteitscijfer".
• actualiteit: ac-tu-a-li-teit - Similar suffix '-teit' and stress pattern.
• nationaliteit: na-ti-o-na-li-teit - Similar vowel clusters and syllable structure. Stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable, differing from "criminaliteitscijfer". This difference is due to the length and complexity of the root.