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Hyphenation ofouderenwerkloosheid

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ou-de-ren-werk-loos-heid

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

/ˈœu̯də.rən.ʋɛrˈkloːs.hɛit/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000101

Primary stress falls on the fourth syllable ('werk'), following the general Dutch rule of penultimate stress. The other syllables are unstressed or receive secondary stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

ou/œu/

Open syllable, containing a diphthong. Initial syllable.

de/də/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a voiced dental fricative. Relatively unstressed.

ren/rən/

Open syllable, vowel preceded by a rhotic consonant. Relatively unstressed.

werk/ʋɛrk/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant cluster. Primary stressed syllable.

loos/loːs/

Open syllable, long vowel. Relatively unstressed.

heid/hɛit/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant. Final syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
ouderenwerkloos(root)
+
heid(suffix)

Prefix:

No prefix present.

Root: ouderenwerkloos

Combination of roots denoting 'older people' and 'without work'.

Suffix: heid

Nominalizing suffix of Germanic origin.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state of being unemployed as older people.

Translation: Older people's unemployment

Examples:

"De ouderenwerkloosheid is een groeiend probleem."

"De overheid probeert de ouderenwerkloosheid te bestrijden."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

werkloosheidwerk-loos-heid

Shares the 'werkloosheid' component, demonstrating consistent syllabification.

jeugdwerkloosheidjeugd-werk-loos-heid

Similar compound structure with 'werkloosheid', illustrating consistent stress and syllabification patterns.

langdurige werkloosheidlang-du-ri-ge werk-loos-heid

Contains the 'werkloosheid' component, showing consistent syllabification of that part of the word.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Open Syllables

Syllable divisions are preferred where syllables end in vowels, creating open syllables.

Avoid Breaking Consonant Clusters

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are exceptionally complex or disrupt the flow of pronunciation.

Penultimate Stress

Dutch generally stresses the second-to-last syllable of a word.

Special Considerations

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

The compound nature of the word requires careful consideration of morphemic boundaries, but these do not necessarily dictate syllable division.

Regional variations in pronunciation might lead to slight differences in perceived syllable boundaries, but the presented division is widely accepted.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word *ouderenwerkloosheid* is a compound noun syllabified into six syllables: ou-de-ren-werk-loos-heid. Stress falls on the fourth syllable ('werk'). The syllabification follows Dutch rules prioritizing open syllables and avoiding unnecessary consonant cluster splits. The word is formed from Germanic roots and a nominalizing suffix.

Detailed Analysis:

Dutch Word Analysis: ouderenwerkloosheid

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word ouderenwerkloosheid (older-people-unemployment) is a compound noun in Dutch. Its pronunciation involves a sequence of vowels and consonants typical of Dutch, including the diphthong /œu/ and the consonant clusters /rk/ and /ls/.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, which generally favor open syllables (syllables ending in a vowel) and avoid breaking up consonant clusters unless absolutely necessary, the word is divided as follows (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • ouderen-: Root, derived from ouder (older), indicating age. Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Adjectival base.
  • werkloos-: Root, derived from werk (work) and loos (without). Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Adjectival base, denoting lack of work.
  • -heid: Suffix, common in Dutch to form abstract nouns. Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Nominalization.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈœu̯də.rən.ʋɛrˈkloːs.hɛit/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for some flexibility in syllabification, particularly with consonant clusters. However, the division presented here is the most common and phonologically justifiable.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state of being unemployed as older people.
  • English Translation: Older people's unemployment / Unemployment among older adults.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (de - feminine)
  • Synonyms: werkloosheid onder ouderen (unemployment among older people)
  • Antonyms: werkgelegenheid onder ouderen (employment among older people)
  • Examples:
    • "De ouderenwerkloosheid is een groeiend probleem." (Older people's unemployment is a growing problem.)
    • "De overheid probeert de ouderenwerkloosheid te bestrijden." (The government is trying to combat older people's unemployment.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • werkloosheid: wer-kloos-heid - Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • jeugdwerkloosheid: jeugd-werk-loos-heid - Similar structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • langdurige werkloosheid: lang-du-ri-ge werk-loos-heid - More syllables, but shares the werkloosheid component, stress on the second syllable of werkloosheid.

The consistent stress pattern on the werk syllable in these words demonstrates the regular application of Dutch stress rules. The syllable division follows the same principles of maximizing open syllables and avoiding unnecessary consonant cluster splits.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/10/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.