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Hyphenation oftommelfingerregel

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

tom-mel-fin-ger-re-gel

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

/tɔmːəlˈfiŋɡərˌreːɡəl/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

001000

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('fin').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

tom/tɔm/

Open syllable, initial syllable.

mel/məl/

Open syllable, contains a schwa.

fin/fiŋ/

Closed syllable, stressed syllable.

ger/ɡər/

Open syllable, contains a schwa.

re/reː/

Open syllable, long vowel.

gel/ɡəl/

Closed syllable, final syllable.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

(prefix)
+
tommel, finger, regel(root)
+
(suffix)

Prefix:

Root: tommel, finger, regel

Compound noun formed from three roots of Old Norse and German origin.

Suffix:

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A practical, informal rule or guideline.

Translation: Rule of thumb

Examples:

"Det er bare en tommelfingerregel."

"Som en tommelfingerregel bør du drikke åtte glass vann om dagen."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

solskinnsol-skinn

Compound noun with similar syllable structure.

arbeidslivar-beids-liv

Compound noun with similar syllable structure.

datamaskinda-ta-ma-skin

Compound noun with similar syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Syllables attempt to maximize their onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable).

Vowel Centering

Each vowel sound forms the nucleus of a syllable.

Avoidance of Stranded Consonants

Consonants are generally not left at the end of a syllable unless they form part of a valid consonant cluster.

Special Considerations

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

The 'ng' cluster in 'finger' is treated as a single onset.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word *tommelfingerregel* is a compound noun divided into six syllables: tom-mel-fin-ger-re-gel. Stress falls on the 'fin' syllable. The syllabification follows the principles of onset maximization and vowel centering, common in Norwegian Nynorsk.

Detailed Analysis:

Norwegian Nynorsk Word Analysis: tommelfingerregel

1. Pronunciation Examination:

The word tommelfingerregel is pronounced approximately as [tɔmːəlˈfiŋɡərˌreːɡəl] in Norwegian Nynorsk. It's a compound noun.

2. Syllable Division:

The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets and avoiding stranded consonants, is: tom-mel-fin-ger-re-gel.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • tommel - Root. Origin: Old Norse þumall, meaning "thumb". Morphological function: Noun stem.
  • finger - Root. Origin: Old Norse fingr, meaning "finger". Morphological function: Noun stem.
  • regel - Root. Origin: German Regel, meaning "rule". Morphological function: Noun stem.
    The word is a compound noun formed by combining these three roots.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the fin syllable. The stress pattern is relatively predictable for compound nouns in Norwegian.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/tɔmːəlˈfiŋɡərˌreːɡəl/

6. Edge Case Review:

Norwegian allows for relatively free syllable structure, but the principle of maximizing onsets is generally followed. The 'ng' cluster is treated as a single onset.

7. Grammatical Role:

tommelfingerregel functions solely as a noun. Its structure doesn't change based on grammatical case or number, so the syllabification remains consistent.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A practical, informal rule or guideline; a rule of thumb.
  • Translation: Rule of thumb
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine)
  • Synonyms: rettesnor (guideline), praktisk regel (practical rule)
  • Antonyms: formell regel (formal rule), lov (law)
  • Examples:
    • "Det er bare en tommelfingerregel." (It's just a rule of thumb.)
    • "Som en tommelfingerregel bør du drikke åtte glass vann om dagen." (As a rule of thumb, you should drink eight glasses of water a day.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • solskinn (sunshine): sol-skinn. Similar syllable structure, with a compound noun. Stress falls on the first element.
  • arbeidsliv (working life): ar-beids-liv. Similar compound structure. Stress on the first syllable.
  • datamaskin (computer): da-ta-ma-skin. Another compound noun. Stress on the third syllable.

The difference in stress placement in tommelfingerregel compared to solskinn and arbeidsliv is due to the length and complexity of the compound. Longer compounds often shift stress towards the middle. datamaskin shows a different stress pattern due to the vowel qualities and syllable weights.

10. Division Rules:

  • Onset Maximization: Syllables attempt to maximize their onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable). This applies to tom-mel and fin-ger.
  • Vowel Centering: Each vowel sound forms the nucleus of a syllable.
  • Avoidance of Stranded Consonants: Consonants are generally not left at the end of a syllable unless they form part of a valid consonant cluster.

11. Special Considerations:

The 'ng' cluster in finger is treated as a single onset, which is standard in Norwegian. There are no significant regional variations in the syllabification of this word.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the pronunciation is relatively standard, some dialects might exhibit slight variations in vowel quality or consonant articulation, but these variations wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/8/2025

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