Hyphenation ofpersoneelsbijeenkomsten

Dutch Word Analysis: personeelsbijeenkomsten

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "personeelsbijeenkomsten" (personnel meetings) is a complex Dutch noun. Its pronunciation involves a series of consonant clusters and vowel sounds typical of the language. It's a compound word, which influences its syllabification.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Dutch syllabification rules, the word is divided as follows (using only original letters):

per-so-neels-bij-een-kom-sten

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: per- (Latin, meaning "through" or "for each"). In this context, it functions as a prefix indicating relation to personnel.
• Root: soneel (related to persoon - person). This is a somewhat obscured root, but relates to the concept of individuals.
• Suffixes:
  • -eel- (Dutch, diminutive/collective suffix, forming nouns related to groups of people).
  • -s- (Dutch, genitive/plural marker).
  • -bij- (Dutch, prefix meaning "together" or "at").
  • -een- (Dutch, indefinite article/part of a compound noun).
  • -kom- (Dutch, root of komen - to come, indicating a gathering).
  • -sten- (Dutch, plural suffix for nouns).

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable: kom.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/pɛr.so.neːls.bɪ.ˈeːn.kɔm.stən/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• per-: /pɛr/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel. No consonant clusters break the syllable.
• so-: /so/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel.
• neels-: /neːls/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable. The 'ls' cluster is common and remains intact.
• bij-: /bɪ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel.
• een-: /eːn/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel.
• kom-: /ˈkɔm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables generally end in a vowel or consonant. This syllable receives primary stress.
• sten-: /stən/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable. The 'st' cluster is common and remains intact.

7. Edge Case Review:

Dutch allows for some flexibility in syllabification, particularly with compound words. However, the division presented here is the most common and phonologically justifiable. The 'ee' vowel is a long vowel, influencing the syllable weight.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word is primarily a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function (as it's a single form).

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: Meetings of personnel; staff meetings.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (de - feminine)
• Translation: Personnel meetings, staff meetings
• Synonyms: personeelsvergaderingen, stafbijeenkomsten
• Antonyms: (None directly applicable)
• Examples:
  • "De personeelsbijeenkomsten worden elke maand gehouden." (The personnel meetings are held every month.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Dutch, but they do not significantly alter the syllabification. Some speakers might slightly reduce the vowel length in unstressed syllables.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• woordenboek (dictionary): wo-or-den-boek - Similar syllable structure with vowel-consonant alternation.
• universiteit (university): u-ni-ver-si-teit - Similar consonant clusters and vowel length patterns.
• computerprogramma (computer program): com-pu-ter-pro-gram-ma - Demonstrates the syllabification of longer compound words, similar to "personeelsbijeenkomsten".

The differences lie in the specific vowel sounds and consonant clusters, but the underlying syllabification principles remain consistent. Dutch favors open syllables where possible, and maintains common consonant clusters within syllables.