Hyphenation ofsekretærstilling

Norwegian Word Analysis: sekretærstilling

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "sekretærstilling" (secretary position) is a compound noun in Norwegian. It consists of "sekretær" (secretary) and "stilling" (position). The pronunciation involves a mix of voiced and voiceless consonants, and vowel qualities typical of Norwegian.

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:

• sekretær:
  • Root: sekret- (Latin origin, secretarius - secretary)
  • Suffix: -ær (Common Norwegian suffix denoting a person holding a certain position)
• stilling:
  • Root: still- (Old Norse origin, related to "still" - quiet, calm, but evolved to mean position/state)
  • Suffix: -ing (Nominalizing suffix, forming a noun from a verb-like base)

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable of "sekretær" and the first syllable of "stilling". This is typical for Norwegian compound nouns.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/sɛkrɛˈtæːrˌstɪlːɪŋ/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

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

• se-: /sɛ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel (CV) structure. No exceptions.
• kre-: /krɛ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant Cluster-Vowel (CCV) structure. The 'kr' cluster is permissible as an onset in Norwegian.
• tær-: /tæːr/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure. The long vowel /æː/ influences the syllable weight.
• stil-: /stɪl/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant Cluster-Vowel-Consonant (CCVC) structure. 'st' is a common onset cluster.
• ling: /lɪŋ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) structure. The 'ng' is a valid coda cluster in Norwegian.

7. Edge Case Review:

Norwegian allows for relatively complex consonant clusters, especially in onsets. The 'kr' and 'st' clusters are common and don't pose a syllabification challenge. The long vowel /æː/ in "tær" affects the syllable's prominence but doesn't alter the division.

8. Grammatical Role:

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

9. Definition & Semantics:

• sekretærstilling (noun)
  • Definitions:
    • A position as a secretary.
    • The job of a secretary.
  • Translation: Secretary position
  • Synonyms: sekretærjobb, kontorstilling
  • Antonyms: lederstilling (managerial position)
  • Examples:
    • "Hun søkte på en sekretærstilling i det nye firmaet." (She applied for a secretary position at the new company.)
    • "Han har hatt en sekretærstilling i fem år." (He has held a secretary position for five years.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Norwegian. The /æː/ vowel might be slightly different depending on the dialect, but this doesn't significantly affect the syllable division. Some dialects might reduce the vowel in unstressed syllables, but the core syllabic structure remains the same.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• datamaskin (computer): da-ta-ma-skin. Similar CCV and CVC structures.
• universitet (university): u-ni-ver-si-tet. Demonstrates the permissible consonant clusters in Norwegian.
• arbeidsliv (working life): ar-bei-ds-liv. Shows how compound words are syllabified, maintaining the internal structure of each component.

The syllable division in "sekretærstilling" aligns with these examples, demonstrating the consistent application of Norwegian syllabification rules. The presence of consonant clusters and the stress pattern are typical of Norwegian words.