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Hyphenation ofleerlingenaantallen

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

leer-ling-en-aan-tal-len

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

/ˈleːr.lɪŋ.ə.nɑːn.tɑ.lən/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('aan'), following the penultimate stress rule.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

leer/leːr/

Open syllable, containing a long vowel.

ling/lɪŋ/

Closed syllable, containing a short vowel and 'ng' cluster.

en/ən/

Open syllable, schwa vowel.

aan/ɑːn/

Closed syllable, stressed vowel.

tal/tɑl/

Open syllable.

len/lən/

Open syllable, schwa vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

aan(prefix)
+
leerling(root)
+
tal-len(suffix)

Prefix: aan

Germanic origin, indicates addition or increase.

Root: leerling

Germanic origin, meaning pupil/student.

Suffix: tal-len

Germanic origin, plural marker for 'tal' (number).

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The number of pupils or students.

Translation: Number of students/pupils

Examples:

"De school meldde een stijging in de leerlingenaantallen."

"De leerlingenaantallen zijn de afgelopen jaren toegenomen."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

voetballervoe-tbal-ler

Similar syllable structure with consonant clusters and stress pattern.

bibliotheekbi-bli-o-theek

Demonstrates vowel-centric syllable division.

werkloosheidwerk-loos-heid

Illustrates the application of vowel-centric division and stress on the penultimate syllable.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-centric division

Syllables are formed around vowel sounds, aiming to include all vowels in a syllable.

Diphthong preservation

Diphthongs are not split across syllable boundaries.

Consonant cluster handling

Consonant clusters are generally kept together unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation.

Penultimate stress

Primary stress typically falls on the second to last syllable.

Special Considerations

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

Dutch compounding allows for long words, requiring careful application of syllabification rules.

The 'ng' cluster is treated as a single unit.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may exist but do not significantly alter syllabification.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'leerlingenaantallen' is a compound noun meaning 'number of students'. It is divided into six syllables: leer-ling-en-aan-tal-len, with stress on the fourth syllable ('aan'). Syllabification follows vowel-centric rules, preserving diphthongs and handling consonant clusters appropriately. The word's morphemic structure reveals its Germanic origins and compounding nature.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "leerlingenaantallen" (Dutch)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "leerlingenaantallen" refers to the number of pupils/students. It's a compound noun, common in Dutch. Pronunciation involves a sequence of vowel and consonant clusters, typical of Dutch morphology.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid splitting diphthongs or consonant clusters where possible, the division is as follows (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • leerling-: Root. Origin: Germanic. Meaning: pupil, student. Morphological function: Noun base.
  • -en-: Suffix. Origin: Germanic. Function: Plural marker (though in this case, it's part of the compound noun formation, not a simple plural).
  • -aan-: Prefix. Origin: Germanic. Function: Indicates an addition or increase to something.
  • -tal-: Root. Origin: Germanic. Meaning: number, count. Morphological function: Noun base.
  • -len: Suffix. Origin: Germanic. Function: Forms the plural of 'tal' (number).

4. Stress Identification:

Dutch stress is generally on the penultimate syllable (second to last). In this case, the primary stress falls on "-aan-".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈleːr.lɪŋ.ə.nɑːn.tɑ.lən/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for relatively free compounding, leading to long words like this. Syllabification focuses on pronounceability, and the rules are generally consistent. The 'ng' cluster is treated as a single unit.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word functions solely as a noun. There are no shifts in syllabification or stress if it were to be used in a different grammatical context, as it is not inflected.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The number of pupils or students.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (de - neuter gender)
  • Translation: Number of students/pupils
  • Synonyms: studentenaantal, pupillenaantal
  • Antonyms: None directly applicable.
  • Examples:
    • "De school meldde een stijging in de leerlingenaantallen." (The school reported an increase in the number of students.)
    • "De leerlingenaantallen zijn de afgelopen jaren toegenomen." (The number of students has increased in recent years.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • voetballer (football player): voe-tbal-ler. Similar syllable structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • bibliotheek (library): bi-bli-o-theek. Syllable division follows similar vowel-centric rules. Stress on the antepenultimate syllable.
  • werkloosheid (unemployment): werk-loos-heid. Again, vowel-centric division. Stress on the penultimate syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the inherent stress patterns of the root morphemes and the overall length of the word. Longer words tend to have stress further towards the beginning, but the penultimate rule is dominant.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Dutch, but they don't significantly alter the syllabification. Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel in unstressed syllables.

11. Division Rules:

  • Vowel-centric division: Syllables are built around vowel sounds.
  • Avoid splitting diphthongs: Diphthongs (like 'aa' in 'aan') are kept within a single syllable.
  • Consonant cluster handling: Consonant clusters are generally kept together unless they are easily separable based on pronunciation.
  • Penultimate stress: Primary stress falls on the second to last syllable.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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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.