Hyphenation ofmeerderheidsregering

Linguistic Analysis of "meerderheidsregering" (Dutch)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "meerderheidsregering" (majority government) is a compound noun in Dutch. Its pronunciation involves a sequence of vowels and consonants typical of Dutch, with potential for vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, which generally favor open syllables (syllables ending in a vowel) and avoid breaking up consonant clusters unless they are complex, the division is as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• meerderheid (majority):
  • meer (more) - Germanic origin, comparative adjective root.
  • -der (suffix) - Germanic origin, forms the comparative/superlative.
  • -heid (suffix) - Germanic origin, nominalizing suffix, turning an adjective into a noun.
• regering (government):
  • regeer- (to govern) - Germanic origin, verb root.
  • -ing (suffix) - Germanic origin, nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable of the first component, "meer-der-heid". The second component, "re-ge-ring", also has stress on the last syllable. However, in compound words, the stress of the first component is generally stronger.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈmeːrdərɦɛitsrəɣərinɡ/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for some flexibility in vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. The 'e' in 'meerderheid' can be reduced to a schwa /ə/ in rapid speech. The 'r' sound is often uvular in Dutch, represented as /ʁ/.

7. Grammatical Role:

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

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A government formed by a coalition of parties that holds a majority of seats in parliament.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (de meerderheidsregering)
• Translation: Majority government
• Synonyms: Kabinet (cabinet), regering (government)
• Antonyms: Minderheidsregering (minority government)
• Examples:
  • "De meerderheidsregering heeft de wet aangenomen." (The majority government has passed the law.)
  • "De val van de meerderheidsregering leidde tot nieuwe verkiezingen." (The fall of the majority government led to new elections.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• arbeidsmarkt (labor market): ar-beids-markt. Similar syllable structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the penultimate syllable of the first component.
• universiteitsbibliotheek (university library): u-ni-ver-si-teits-bi-bli-o-theek. Longer compound, but follows similar syllabification principles.
• rechtszaak (lawsuit): rechts-zaak. A simpler compound, demonstrating the basic principle of dividing after vowels and avoiding breaking up consonant clusters.

10. Division Rules:

• Vowel Peak Rule: Syllables are built around vowel sounds. Each syllable must contain one vowel.
• Onset-Rime Rule: Syllables are divided into an onset (consonants before the vowel) and a rime (vowel and any following consonants).
• Avoid Consonant Cluster Breakage: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are complex and difficult to pronounce.
• Open Syllable Preference: Dutch favors open syllables (ending in a vowel).

11. Special Considerations:

The 'r' sound in Dutch can be challenging for non-native speakers. Its pronunciation (uvular or alveolar) can influence the perceived syllable boundaries. Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is a common phenomenon and can affect the phonetic realization of the word.