Hyphenation ofgemeenschapsrechter

Linguistic Analysis of "gemeenschapsrechter" (Dutch)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "gemeenschapsrechter" (community judge) is a compound noun in Dutch. Its pronunciation involves a complex sequence of consonants and vowels, typical of Dutch. The word is relatively long, requiring careful application of syllabification rules.

2. Syllable Division:

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

ge-meen-schaps-rech-ter

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: ge- (Dutch prefix, origin: Germanic, function: forms nouns from verbs or adjectives, often indicating a collective or shared quality)
• Root: meen- (from gemeen, meaning 'common', origin: Germanic)
• Suffix: -schap (Dutch suffix, origin: Germanic, function: forms nouns denoting a community, state, or quality)
• Suffix: -rechter (Dutch suffix, origin: Germanic, function: denotes a person who performs a specific role, in this case, a judge)

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable: schaps.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ɣəˈmeːnsxɑpsrɛxtər/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch syllabification generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets. However, consonant clusters can be challenging. The 'sch' cluster is treated as a single onset.

7. Grammatical Role:

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

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A judge specializing in community-related legal matters, often dealing with local disputes or social issues.
• Translation: Community judge
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine)
• Synonyms: buurtrechter (neighborhood judge), vrederechter (justice of the peace - depending on the specific jurisdiction)
• Antonyms: (None directly applicable, as it's a specific role)
• Examples:
  • "De gemeenschapsrechter probeerde de ruzie tussen de buren te sussen." (The community judge tried to settle the dispute between the neighbors.)
  • "De gemeenschapsrechter heeft een belangrijke rol in de lokale rechtspraak." (The community judge plays an important role in local justice.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• werkschoenen (work shoes): wer-ken-schoe-nen. Similar structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the second syllable.
• waterscheiding (watershed): wa-ter-schei-ding. Similar compound structure. Stress on the third syllable.
• landschapsschilder (landscape painter): land-schap-schild-er. Similar compound structure. Stress on the third syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the inherent rhythmic patterns of Dutch and the specific weight of each syllable within the compound. "gemeenschapsrechter" has a longer sequence of vowels before the stressed syllable, influencing the stress pattern.

10. Division Rules:

• Onset Maximization: Dutch prefers to maximize the number of consonants in the onset of a syllable. This applies to the 'sch' cluster.
• Vowel Grouping: Vowel groups are generally kept together within a syllable.
• Compound Word Syllabification: Compound words are syllabified as if they were separate words joined together.

11. Special Considerations:

The 'sch' cluster is a common exception to simple CV-syllabification. It's treated as a single unit. The length of the vowel in 'meen' (/meːn/) can vary slightly depending on regional dialects.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist, but they do not significantly alter the syllable division. Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in the unstressed syllables.