Hyphenation offlertallsavstemning

Norwegian Word Analysis: flertallsavstemning

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "flertallsavstemning" (plural vote/ballot) is a compound noun in Norwegian. Its pronunciation involves a mix of voiced and voiceless consonants, and vowel qualities typical of Norwegian. The 'r' is alveolar, and vowel length is phonemic.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Norwegian syllable division rules, which generally favor maximizing onsets (consonant clusters at the beginning of a syllable), the word is divided as follows (using only the original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: fler- (from Old Norse fleiri meaning 'more', related to 'many'). Morphological function: indicates plurality.
• Root: talls- (from tall meaning 'number'). Morphological function: relates to counting or quantity.
• Suffix: -avstemning (from avstemme 'to vote' + -ning nominalizing suffix). Morphological function: creates a noun denoting the act of voting.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable: av-stem-ning. Norwegian generally stresses the second-to-last syllable in words of this length.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/flɛrˈtɑlsˌavstɛmːnɪŋ/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• fler-: /flɛr/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained in the onset. No exceptions.
• talls-: /tɑls/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained in the onset. No exceptions.
• av-: /ɑv/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant forms a syllable. No exceptions.
• stem-: /stɛm/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by vowel forms a syllable. No exceptions.
• ning: /nɪŋ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant followed by vowel forms a syllable. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review:

Norwegian allows for some flexibility in syllable division, particularly with consonant clusters. However, the proposed division aligns with the principle of maximizing onsets and avoiding syllable-final consonant clusters where possible.

8. Grammatical Role:

"Flertallsavstemning" is primarily a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Definition: A vote or ballot concerning multiple options or a plural outcome.
• Translation: Plural vote/ballot
• Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine)
• Synonyms: Valg (election), omstemning (re-vote)
• Antonyms: Ingen (none)
• Examples:
  • "Resultatet av flertallsavstemningen var klart." (The result of the plural vote was clear.)
  • "De holdt en flertallsavstemning for å velge en ny leder." (They held a plural vote to elect a new leader.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Norwegian. For example, the /ɛ/ in "fler" might be slightly more open in some dialects. However, these variations do not significantly alter the syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• Vennskap (friendship): ven-nskap. Similar syllable structure with consonant clusters in the onset.
• Samarbeid (cooperation): sam-ar-beid. Demonstrates the tendency to break up longer words into more syllables.
• Bekreftelse (confirmation): bek-reft-else. Shows how vowel-consonant patterns create syllable boundaries.

The differences in syllable division arise from the varying lengths and complexities of the consonant clusters and vowel sequences within each word. "Flertallsavstemning" has a relatively straightforward syllable structure compared to some other compound nouns.