Hyphenation ofskjønnsspørsmål

Analysis of "skjønnsspørsmål" (Norwegian Nynorsk)

1. Pronunciation Considerations:

The word "skjønnsspørsmål" presents challenges due to the presence of the digraph "sj", the diphthong "jø", and the consonant cluster "rs". Nynorsk pronunciation generally aims for a more conservative realization of these sounds compared to Bokmål.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Nynorsk syllable division rules, which prioritize maximizing onsets and respecting vowel quality, the division will be: skjønns-spør-smål.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• skjønns-: Derived from the adjective "skjønn" (meaning 'reasonable, judicious'), related to the verb "skjønne" (to understand). This functions as an attributive genitive, modifying "spørsmål". Origin: Old Norse. Morphological function: Adjectival modifier.
• -spør-: Root of the noun "spørsmål" (question). Origin: Old Norse "spurn". Morphological function: Noun root.
• -smål: Suffix forming the noun "spørsmål". Origin: Old Norse. Morphological function: Noun suffix.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: spør. This is typical for Nynorsk nouns with multiple syllables.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈskjøːnsˌspœɾsmɔːl/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• skjønns-: /skjøːns/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant cluster. Exception: The "sj" digraph is treated as a single onset. Potential exception: Some dialects might reduce the vowel quality.
• spør-: /spœɾ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Potential exception: The "r" is often retroflexed in Nynorsk.
• smål: /smɔːl/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Potential exception: The vowel length can vary slightly depending on dialect.

7. Edge Case Review:

The "sj" digraph is a common source of variation. In some dialects, it might be pronounced closer to /ʃ/ or /s/. The retroflexion of /r/ is also a regional feature.

8. Grammatical Role:

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

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A question of judgment; a matter requiring discretion.
• Translation: Question of discretion / matter of judgment.
• Grammatical Category: Noun (masculine/neuter depending on context)
• Synonyms: vanskeleg spørsmål (difficult question), tolkningsspørsmål (question of interpretation)
• Antonyms: fakta-spørsmål (factual question)
• Examples: "Dette er eit skjønnsspørsmål som må vurderast nøye." (This is a question of judgment that must be carefully considered.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

As mentioned, the "sj" sound and the retroflexion of "r" can vary. Some dialects might also exhibit slight vowel reductions in unstressed syllables. These variations would not significantly alter the syllable division, but could affect the phonetic realization.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• "utfordring" (challenge): u-tfor-dring. Similar structure with consonant clusters. Stress on the second syllable.
• "gjennomføring" (implementation): gjen-nom-fø-ring. Similar use of digraphs and consonant clusters. Stress on the third syllable.
• "forståelse" (understanding): for-stå-el-se. Similar syllable structure with vowel-consonant patterns. Stress on the second syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the inherent rhythmic patterns of the words and the relative prominence of the morphemes.