Hyphenation ofoverlijdensgevallen

Linguistic Analysis of "overlijdensgevallen" (Dutch)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "overlijdensgevallen" refers to deaths (plural). It's a compound noun, common in Dutch, built from multiple morphemes. Pronunciation involves a mix of vowel qualities and consonant clusters typical of Dutch.

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:

• Prefix: over- (Germanic origin) - Function: Intensifier, indicating 'completely' or 'excessively'.
• Root: lijd- (Germanic origin, related to 'lijden' - to suffer) - Function: Core meaning related to suffering or death.
• Suffix: -ens- (Dutch suffix) - Function: Forms a participial adjective, often indicating a state or condition.
• Suffix: -ge- (Dutch suffix) - Function: Past participle marker.
• Suffix: -val- (Germanic origin, related to 'vallen' - to fall) - Function: Noun forming element, indicating an instance of something.
• Suffix: -len (Dutch suffix) - Function: Plural marker.

4. Stress Identification:

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

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/oːvərˈlɛidə(n)sɣəˈvɑlə(n)/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for some flexibility in vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. The schwa sound /ə/ is common. The 'g' sound can vary between /ɣ/ and /x/ depending on the region and phonetic context.

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: Deaths (plural). The occurrence of dying.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine, plural)
• Translation: Deaths
• Synonyms: sterfgevallen, doden (less specific)
• Antonyms: geboorten (births)
• Examples:
  • "De krant meldde een hoog aantal overlijdensgevallen." (The newspaper reported a high number of deaths.)
  • "Door de pandemie steeg het aantal overlijdensgevallen." (Due to the pandemic, the number of deaths increased.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• 'levensstandaard' (living standard): le-vens-stand-aard. Similar syllable structure with alternating consonant-vowel patterns. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
• 'arbeidsongeschiktheid' (disability): ar-beids-on-ge-schikt-heid. Longer compound noun, but follows similar syllabification principles, breaking after vowels and avoiding consonant cluster splits. Stress on the antepenultimate syllable.
• 'werkloosheidscijfers' (unemployment figures): werk-loos-heids-cij-fers. Another compound noun, demonstrating the typical Dutch pattern of combining morphemes. Stress on the penultimate syllable.

The key difference is the length and complexity of the compound. "overlijdensgevallen" is relatively long, requiring careful application of the rules to avoid incorrect divisions.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist. The /ə/ sound can be more or less pronounced depending on the dialect. The 'g' sound can also vary. These variations don't significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Division Rules Applied:

• Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.
• Avoid Diphthong Splitting: Diphthongs (like 'ei' in 'lijden') are kept intact within a syllable.
• Consonant Cluster Handling: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are exceptionally difficult to pronounce.
• Penultimate Stress: Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable.