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Hyphenation ofvrijmetselaarsteken

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

vrij-met-se-laar-ste-ken

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

/vrɛi̯mətsəˈlaːrstɛkə(n)/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable (*metselaar*).

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

vrij/vrɛi̯/

Open syllable, diphthong. Maximizing onsets: *vr-* forms the onset.

met/mɛt/

Closed syllable. Consonant after vowel forms the coda.

se/sə/

Open syllable. Vowel forms the nucleus.

laar/laːr/

Open syllable, long vowel. Maximizing onsets: *l* forms the onset.

ste/stɛ/

Closed syllable. Consonant cluster *st* forms the onset.

ken/kə(n)/

Open syllable, schwa. Vowel forms the nucleus. The (n) is often reduced or elided in speech.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

vrij(prefix)
+
metselaar(root)
+
steken(suffix)

Prefix: vrij

Germanic origin, denotes freedom or independence.

Root: metselaar

Germanic origin, related to *metselen* (to bricklay).

Suffix: steken

Germanic origin, related to *tekenen* (to draw, to sign). Nominalizing suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A sign or symbol used by Freemasons.

Translation: Freemason's sign

Examples:

"De vrijmetselaarsteken werd op de muur gevonden."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

vriendelijkvri-en-de-lijk

Similar initial *vr-* cluster.

metselwerkmet-sel-werk

Shares the root *metsel-* and similar syllable structure.

tekeningte-ke-ning

Shares the suffix *-ing* and similar vowel sounds.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Maximize Onsets

Dutch prefers to include as many consonants as possible in the onset of a syllable.

Vowel Nucleus

Every syllable must have a vowel nucleus.

Coda Formation

Consonants following the vowel form the coda.

Diphthong Treatment

Diphthongs form a single nucleus.

Special Considerations

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

The final *n* in *ken* is often reduced or elided in casual speech.

The compound nature of the word influences the stress pattern.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word *vrijmetselaarsteken* is a compound noun divided into six syllables: vrij-met-se-laar-ste-ken. Stress falls on *metselaar*. Syllabification follows Dutch rules of maximizing onsets and requiring a vowel nucleus in each syllable. The final 'n' in 'ken' can be reduced in speech.

Detailed Analysis:

Dutch Word Analysis: vrijmetselaarsteken

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word vrijmetselaarsteken (freemason's sign) is a compound noun in Dutch. Its pronunciation involves a sequence of consonant clusters and vowel sounds typical of the language.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: vrij- (free) - Germanic origin, denotes freedom or independence.
  • Root: metselaar (mason) - Germanic origin, related to metselen (to bricklay).
  • Suffix: -steken (sign) - Germanic origin, related to tekenen (to draw, to sign). This is a nominalizing suffix.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: metselaar.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/vrɛi̯mətsəˈlaːrstɛkə(n)/

6. Edge Case Review:

Dutch syllabification generally follows the principle of maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable). However, certain consonant clusters can be challenging. In this word, the clusters vr- and -st are common and follow standard rules.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is a noun. As a noun, the syllabification and stress remain consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A sign or symbol used by Freemasons.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (de)
  • Translation: Freemason's sign
  • Synonyms: Vrijmetselerssymbool (Freemason's symbol)
  • Antonyms: None directly applicable.
  • Examples:
    • "De vrijmetselaarsteken werd op de muur gevonden." (The Freemason's sign was found on the wall.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • vriendelijk (friendly): vri-en-de-lijk. Similar initial vr- cluster. Stress on the second syllable.
  • metselwerk (brickwork): met-sel-werk. Shares the root metsel- and similar syllable structure. Stress on the second syllable.
  • tekening (drawing): te-ke-ning. Shares the suffix -ing and similar vowel sounds. Stress on the second syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
vrij /vrɛi̯/ Open syllable, diphthong. Maximizing onsets: vr- forms the onset. The /ɛi̯/ diphthong is common in Dutch.
met /mɛt/ Closed syllable. Consonant after vowel forms the coda. Standard syllable structure.
se /sə/ Open syllable. Vowel forms the nucleus.
laar /laːr/ Open syllable, long vowel. Maximizing onsets: l forms the onset. The long /aː/ vowel is typical.
ste /stɛ/ Closed syllable. Consonant cluster st forms the onset. Common st cluster in Dutch.
ken /kə(n)/ Open syllable, schwa. Vowel forms the nucleus. The (n) is often reduced or elided in speech. The final n can be reduced.

Syllable Division Rules Applied:

  1. Maximize Onsets: Dutch prefers to include as many consonants as possible in the onset of a syllable.
  2. Vowel Nucleus: Every syllable must have a vowel nucleus.
  3. Coda Formation: Consonants following the vowel form the coda.
  4. Diphthong Treatment: Diphthongs form a single nucleus.

Special Considerations:

  • The final n in ken is often reduced or elided in casual speech.
  • The compound nature of the word influences the stress pattern.

Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might exist, but the syllable division remains consistent.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/12/2025

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