Hyphenation ofprijsondersteuning

Linguistic Analysis of "prijsondersteuning" (Dutch)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "prijsondersteuning" is a compound noun in Dutch, meaning "price support." It's pronounced with a relatively even rhythm, though the final syllable receives some emphasis. The 'ij' is a diphthong /ɛi/, and 'oe' is a diphthong /œʏ/.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets, is as follows:

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: onder- (Dutch, meaning "under," "below," or "support"). Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Prefix indicating support or subsidy.
• Root: prijs- (Dutch, meaning "price"). Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Noun stem.
• Suffix: -ondersteuning (Dutch, meaning "support"). Origin: Germanic. Morphological function: Noun suffix forming a noun of action or state. This is a complex suffix built from onder- (support) and -steuning (support).

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable: steu-ning.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈprɛisɔndərstøːnɪŋ/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

Here's a detailed breakdown of each syllable, with IPA transcription, rule application, and potential exceptions:

• prijs /prɛis/ - Open syllable. Rule: Dutch prefers open syllables (ending in a vowel). No exceptions.
• on /ɔn/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable. Exception: The 'n' could potentially be analyzed as part of the following syllable, but separating it here maintains the morphemic boundaries.
• der /dər/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant. No exceptions.
• steu /støː/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster 'st' forms the onset. The 'eu' diphthong forms the nucleus. No exceptions.
• ning /nɪŋ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster 'ng' forms the coda. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review:

Dutch syllable division generally favors maximizing onsets. The compound nature of the word could lead to alternative analyses, but the proposed division aligns with morphemic boundaries and common pronunciation.

8. Grammatical Role:

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

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: prijsondersteuning
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Definitions:
  • "Support given to maintain or lower prices."
  • "Price support."
• Translation: Price support
• Synonyms: prijsstabilisatie (price stabilization), subsidie (subsidy)
• Antonyms: prijsderegulering (price deregulation)
• Examples:
  • "De overheid verstrekt prijsondersteuning aan boeren." (The government provides price support to farmers.)
  • "Prijsondersteuning kan leiden tot overproductie." (Price support can lead to overproduction.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations & Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Dutch, but they don't significantly alter the syllable division. Some speakers might pronounce the 'ij' slightly differently, but the syllable structure remains the same.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• werkloosheid (unemployment): wer-kloos-heid. Similar structure with compound words and maximizing onsets.
• levensonderhoud (livelihood): le-vens-on-der-houd. Demonstrates the consistent application of syllable division rules in compound nouns.
• landbouwsubsidie (agricultural subsidy): land-bouw-sub-si-die. Shows how consonant clusters are handled within syllables.