HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofeau-de-cologneflessen

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

eau-de-co-lo-gne-fles-sen

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

/øː də kɔˈloːɲflɛsə(n)/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

1000000

Primary stress falls on the first syllable ('eau'). Subsequent syllables are unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

eau/øː/

Open syllable, stressed. French loanword adaptation.

de/də/

Open syllable, unstressed.

co/kɔ/

Open syllable, unstressed.

lo/loː/

Open syllable, unstressed.

gne/ɲ/

Syllable with nasal consonant, unstressed.

fles/flɛs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

sen/sə(n)/

Open syllable, unstressed, final syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
cologne(root)
+
flessen(suffix)

Prefix:

N/A

Root: cologne

Borrowed from French, referring to the fragrance.

Suffix: flessen

Dutch plural noun suffix, derived from 'fles' (bottle).

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Bottles containing eau de cologne.

Translation: Eau de cologne bottles

Examples:

"De winkel verkoopt eau-de-cologneflessen."

"Ze had een collectie eau-de-cologneflessen."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

waterflessenwa-ter-fles-sen

Similar syllable structure and stress pattern as a compound noun.

bloemenflessenbloe-men-fles-sen

Similar syllable structure and stress pattern as a compound noun.

wijnflessenwijn-fles-sen

Similar syllable structure and stress pattern as a compound noun.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable Preference

Dutch favors syllables of the form CV (consonant-vowel). Syllable divisions are made to maximize open syllables.

Compound Word Stress

The primary stress in Dutch compound nouns typically falls on the first element.

Special Considerations

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

The French loanword 'eau-de-cologne' introduces a slight deviation from typical Dutch phonological patterns.

The final '-n' in 'flessen' may be reduced or elided in rapid speech.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The Dutch compound noun 'eau-de-cologneflessen' is divided into syllables based on open syllable preference and compound word stress rules. The word consists of a French loanword and a Dutch noun, with stress on the first syllable ('eau').

Detailed Analysis:

Dutch Word Analysis: eau-de-cologneflessen

This analysis focuses on the Dutch compound noun "eau-de-cologneflessen" (eau-de-cologne bottles).

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

Dutch pronunciation can be complex, with vowel reductions and consonant weakening in unstressed syllables. The French loanword "eau-de-cologne" retains some of its original pronunciation, but is adapted to Dutch phonology.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, which generally favor open syllables (CV structure) and avoid consonant clusters at syllable boundaries where possible, the word is divided as follows (see JSON output for the exact orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • eau-de-cologne: Borrowed from French, meaning "eau de cologne" (cologne water).
    • Origin: French
    • Function: Noun phrase acting as an attributive adjective.
  • flessen: Dutch noun, plural of "fles" (bottle).
    • Origin: Germanic (Old Dutch flasko)
    • Function: Noun, plural form.

4. Stress Identification:

Dutch stress is generally on the first syllable of the root word. In compound nouns, the stress typically falls on the first element. Therefore, the primary stress is on "eau".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/øː də kɔˈloːɲflɛsə(n)/

6. Edge Case Review:

The French loanword "eau-de-cologne" presents a slight challenge. Dutch tends to simplify consonant clusters, but the pronunciation of "eau" is relatively preserved. The final "-n" in "flessen" is often reduced or elided in rapid speech.

7. Grammatical Role:

"eau-de-cologneflessen" functions solely as a noun (plural). Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical context.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Word: eau-de-cologneflessen
  • Definition: Bottles of eau de cologne.
  • Part of Speech: Noun (plural)
  • Translation: Eau de cologne bottles
  • Synonyms: Geurwaterflessen (fragrance water bottles)
  • Antonyms: (None directly applicable)
  • Examples:
    • "De winkel verkoopt eau-de-cologneflessen in verschillende maten." (The shop sells eau de cologne bottles in different sizes.)
    • "Ze had een hele collectie eau-de-cologneflessen op haar dressoir staan." (She had a whole collection of eau de cologne bottles on her dresser.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • waterflessen (water bottles): wa-ter-fles-sen. Similar syllable structure, stress on the first syllable.
  • bloemenflessen (flower vases): bloe-men-fles-sen. Similar syllable structure, stress on the first syllable.
  • wijnflessen (wine bottles): wijn-fles-sen. Similar syllable structure, stress on the first syllable.

The primary difference lies in the initial complex cluster in "eau-de-cologneflessen" which is a result of the French loanword. The other words have simpler initial consonant structures.

10. Division Rules:

  • Rule 1: Open Syllable Preference: Dutch favors open syllables (CV). This is applied throughout the word.
  • Rule 2: Consonant Cluster Resolution: Consonant clusters are broken up to create open syllables where possible.
  • Rule 3: Compound Word Stress: Stress falls on the first element of a compound word.

11. Special Considerations:

The French origin of "eau-de-cologne" introduces a slight deviation from typical Dutch phonological patterns. The pronunciation of "eau" is adapted but retains some French characteristics.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

The hottest word splits in Dutch

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

  • ic-infrastructuur
  • abdiceer
  • Abchazië
  • abcessen
  • Abbekerk
  • abc-boek
  • Abbeweer
  • abubakar
  • abrikoos
  • abattoir
  • absoute
  • abdellah
  • abdullah
  • abdallah
  • absurds
  • absurde
  • abusief
  • abuizen
  • absente
  • absence

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.