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Hyphenation ofkardinalspørsmål

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

kar-di-nal-spør-smål

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

/ˈkɑːrdiˌnɑːlˌspœrsmɔːl/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

01001

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('di'), following the general Nynorsk rule of stressing the first syllable of the root, but influenced by the compound structure.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

kar/kɑːr/

Open syllable (CV), initial syllable.

di/diː/

Open syllable (CV).

nal/nɑːl/

Open syllable (CV).

spør/spœr/

Closed syllable (CVC).

smål/smɔːl/

Closed syllable (CVC), final syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

kar-(prefix)
+
-din-(root)
+
-al-(suffix)

Prefix: kar-

Latin origin (*cardinalis*), denoting fundamental or principal.

Root: -din-

From *cardinal*, core meaning relating to a fundamental principle.

Suffix: -al-

Latin-derived adjectival suffix.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A fundamental or principal question; a question of primary importance.

Translation: Cardinal question

Examples:

"Det kardinalspørsmålet er om vi har råd til dette."

"Forskerne diskuterte det kardinalspørsmålet i flere timer."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

problemstillingpro-blem-stil-ling

Similar syllable structure with alternating open and closed syllables.

universitetu-ni-ver-si-tet

Similar open syllable preference.

samfunnsproblemsam-funns-pro-blem

Demonstrates the compounding pattern and stress shift.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable Preference

Nynorsk favors open syllables (CV) whenever possible.

Consonant Cluster Onsets

Initial consonant clusters are allowed as onsets.

Vowel-Consonant Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Special Considerations

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

The 'spørsmål' compound suffix is a common construction and doesn't present unusual syllabification challenges.

The 'rd' cluster in 'kardinal' is a typical consonant cluster and treated as a single onset.

Potential palatalization of the final 'l' in some Eastern Norwegian dialects.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'kardinalspørsmål' is divided into five syllables: kar-di-nal-spør-smål. Stress falls on the third syllable. The word is morphologically complex, with Latin-derived prefixes and suffixes, and a Nynorsk compound suffix. Syllabification follows the Nynorsk preference for open syllables and allows for initial consonant clusters.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "kardinalspørsmål" (Norwegian Nynorsk)

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "kardinalspørsmål" is pronounced with a relatively consistent vowel quality across its syllables, typical of Nynorsk. The 'r' is alveolar, and the 's' is voiceless. The final 'l' is often palatalized, especially in Eastern Norwegian dialects.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Nynorsk syllable division rules, which generally favor open syllables (CV) whenever possible, and respecting consonant clusters, the word breaks down as follows.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: kar- (Latin cardinalis - relating to a cardinal number or principle) - denotes fundamental or principal.
  • Root: -din- (from cardinal) - core meaning relating to a fundamental principle.
  • Suffix: -al- (Latin -al-) - adjectival suffix.
  • Suffix: -spørsmål (Nynorsk) - meaning "question". This is a compound suffix: spør- (ask) + -smål (small, diminutive, often used to form nouns).

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: di in kar-di-NAL-spør-smål. Nynorsk generally stresses the first syllable of the root, but in compounds, the stress can shift.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈkɑːrdiˌnɑːlˌspœrsmɔːl/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • kar-: /kɑːr/ - Open syllable (CV). Rule: Prefer open syllables. Exception: Initial consonant clusters are allowed.
  • di-: /ˈdiː/ - Open syllable (CV). Rule: Vowel followed by consonant.
  • nal-: /nɑːl/ - Open syllable (CV). Rule: Vowel followed by consonant.
  • spør-: /spœr/ - Closed syllable (CVC). Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel.
  • smål-: /smɔːl/ - Closed syllable (CVC). Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel.

7. Edge Case Review:

The 'spørsmål' compound suffix is a common construction in Nynorsk and doesn't present unusual syllabification challenges. The 'rd' cluster in 'kardinal' is a typical consonant cluster in Norwegian and is treated as a single onset.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Kardinalspørsmål" functions primarily as a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A fundamental or principal question; a question of primary importance.
  • Translation: Cardinal question
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (neuter gender)
  • Synonyms: Hovedspørsmål (main question), grunnleggende spørsmål (basic question)
  • Antonyms: Bisak (minor issue), detaljspørsmål (detail question)
  • Examples:
    • "Det kardinalspørsmålet er om vi har råd til dette." (The cardinal question is whether we can afford this.)
    • "Forskerne diskuterte det kardinalspørsmålet i flere timer." (The researchers discussed the cardinal question for several hours.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

In some Eastern Norwegian dialects, the final 'l' in "smål" might be palatalized, affecting the vowel quality slightly. However, this doesn't change the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • problemstilling (problem situation): pro-blem-stil-ling - Similar syllable structure with alternating open and closed syllables.
  • universitet (university): u-ni-ver-si-tet - Similar open syllable preference.
  • samfunnsproblem (social problem): sam-funns-pro-blem - Demonstrates the compounding pattern and stress shift.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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