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Hyphenation ofhoofdcommissarissen

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

hoofd-com-mis-sa-ris-sen

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

/ˈɦɔufkɔmɪsɑrisən/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

100000

Primary stress falls on the first syllable ('hoofd'). Secondary stress on 'mis'.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

hoofd/ɦɔuf/

Open syllable, stressed (primary stress in the word).

com/kɔm/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

mis/mɪs/

Closed syllable, stressed (secondary stress).

sa/sa/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ris/rɪs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

sen/sən/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

hoofd(prefix)
+
commissaris(root)
+
-sen(suffix)

Prefix: hoofd

Dutch, meaning 'head', 'chief'. Germanic origin.

Root: commissaris

Dutch, meaning 'commissioner'. Latin origin (*commissarius*).

Suffix: -sen

Dutch plural marker for nouns. Germanic origin.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

Chief commissioners, high-ranking officials (often in law enforcement).

Translation: Chief commissioners

Examples:

"De hoofdcommissarissen bespraken de veiligheidsmaatregelen."

"De hoofdcommissarissen zijn verantwoordelijk voor de politie in hun regio."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

voorbereidingenvoor-be-rei-ding-en

Compound noun with a plural suffix, similar syllabification pattern.

universiteitenu-ni-ver-si-tei-ten

Shares the '-iteiten' suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification.

ambtenarenam-be-na-ren

Shorter example, but illustrates typical Dutch vowel-centered syllabification.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Centered Syllabification

Each syllable contains a vowel sound.

Maximizing Onsets

Consonants are assigned to the following vowel to create onsets whenever possible.

Compound Word Syllabification

Compound words are syllabified as if they were separate words joined together.

Suffix Syllabification

Suffixes are generally treated as separate syllables.

Special Considerations

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

Complex consonant clusters in 'commissarissen' require careful application of maximizing onsets.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may exist, but do not affect core syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'hoofdcommissarissen' is a Dutch noun meaning 'chief commissioners'. It's syllabified as 'hoofd-com-mis-sa-ris-sen' following vowel-centered rules and maximizing onsets. Primary stress falls on 'hoofd'. It's a compound word with a prefix ('hoofd'), root ('commissaris'), and suffix ('-sen').

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "hoofdcommissarissen" (Dutch)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "hoofdcommissarissen" is a Dutch noun meaning "chief commissioners." It's a compound word, typical of Dutch, and its pronunciation reflects this. It's a relatively long word, posing some challenges for syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and consonant clusters, the word is divided as follows (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • hoofd-: Prefix (Dutch, meaning "head," "chief"). Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Denotes rank or leadership.
  • commissaris-: Root (Dutch, meaning "commissioner"). Origin: Latin commissarius (from committere "to entrust"). Morphological function: Core meaning of the word.
  • -sen: Suffix (Dutch, plural marker for nouns). Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Indicates plurality.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: "mis-sa-ris-sen".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈɦɔufkɔmɪsɑrisən/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for complex consonant clusters, which can influence syllabification. The "commissarissen" part contains several such clusters. The rule of maximizing onsets is applied, meaning consonants are assigned to the following vowel whenever possible.

7. Grammatical Role:

"hoofdcommissarissen" is exclusively a noun. Its syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Chief commissioners, high-ranking officials (often in law enforcement).
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine plural)
  • Translation: Chief commissioners
  • Synonyms: Topambtenaren (top officials), leidinggevenden (leaders)
  • Antonyms: Ondergeschikten (subordinates)
  • Examples:
    • "De hoofdcommissarissen bespraken de veiligheidsmaatregelen." (The chief commissioners discussed the security measures.)
    • "De hoofdcommissarissen zijn verantwoordelijk voor de politie in hun regio." (The chief commissioners are responsible for the police in their region.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • voorbereidingen: /voːr.bəˈrɛi̯.dəŋ/ - Syllable division: voor-be-rei-ding-en. Similar in length and complexity, also a compound noun with a plural suffix.
  • universiteiten: /ˌy.ni.vər.siˈtɛi̯.tən/ - Syllable division: u-ni-ver-si-tei-ten. Shares the "-iteiten" suffix, demonstrating consistent syllabification of this ending.
  • ambtenaren: /ˈɑm.bə.naː.rən/ - Syllable division: am-be-na-ren. A shorter example, but illustrates the typical Dutch pattern of vowel-centered syllables.

The differences in syllable count are due to the varying lengths and complexities of the root words and prefixes. The consistent application of vowel-centered syllabification is evident across all examples.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Dutch, but these generally don't affect the core syllabification. Some speakers might pronounce the /ɔ/ in "hoofd" slightly differently, but the syllable boundaries remain the same.

11. Division Rules:

  • Vowel-Centered Syllabification: Each syllable contains a vowel sound.
  • Maximizing Onsets: Consonants are assigned to the following vowel to create onsets whenever possible.
  • Compound Word Syllabification: Compound words are syllabified as if they were separate words joined together.
  • Suffix Syllabification: Suffixes are generally treated as separate syllables.
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.