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Hyphenation ofspørsmålsstilling

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

spør-småls-stil-ling

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

/ˈspœrsmɔːlsˌstiŋːɪŋ/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0100

Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('småls'). Norwegian generally stresses the first syllable, but compounding shifts the stress.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

spør/spœr/

Open syllable, onset cluster 'sp', vowel peak 'œr'

småls/smɔːls/

Open syllable, onset cluster 'sm', vowel peak 'ɔːl', stressed syllable

stil/stiːl/

Open syllable, onset cluster 'st', vowel peak 'iːl'

ling/liŋ/

Coda 'ŋ', vowel peak 'i'

Morphemic Breakdown

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

spør(prefix)
+
smål(root)
+
stilling(suffix)

Prefix: spør

From Old Norse 'spyrja' (to ask), root of the verb 'to ask'

Root: smål

From Old Norse 'smá' (small), modifying the question

Suffix: stilling

From 'stilla' (to pose, to set), nominalizing suffix

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The act of posing questions; questioning.

Translation: Questioning

Examples:

"Politiets spørsmålsstilling var aggressiv."

"Han kritiserte spørsmålsstillingen i intervjuet."

Synonyms: avhør, spørring
Antonyms: bekreftelse, svar
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

Vennskapsløsvenn-skaps-løs

Similar compound structure with multiple morphemes.

Arbeidslivar-beids-liv

Compound noun, demonstrating typical Norwegian compounding patterns.

Høyskoleeksamenhøy-sko-le-eks-a-men

Longer compound noun, illustrating stress patterns in complex words.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Consonant clusters are kept together at the beginning of a syllable.

Vowel Peak

Each syllable must contain a vowel.

Avoid Stranded Consonants

Consonants are not left alone to form a syllable.

Special Considerations

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

The genitive '-s-' is treated as part of the preceding syllable.

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation may exist but do not affect syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'spørsmålsstilling' is a complex Norwegian noun formed through compounding and derivation. It is divided into four syllables: 'spør-småls-stil-ling', with primary stress on 'småls'. The syllabification follows Norwegian rules of onset maximization and vowel peak principles.

Detailed Analysis:

Norwegian Word Analysis: spørsmålsstilling

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "spørsmålsstilling" is a complex noun in Norwegian, meaning "questioning" or "the act of posing questions." It's formed through compounding and derivation. Pronunciation involves several consonant clusters 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) and respecting vowel sequences, the division is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: spør-: From Old Norse spyrja meaning "to ask". Function: Root of the verb "to ask".
  • Root: smål- : From Old Norse smá meaning "small". Function: Modifying the question.
  • Suffix: -s-: Genitive marker, linking the two root components. Function: Grammatical marker.
  • Suffix: -stilling: From stilla meaning "to pose, to set". Function: Nominalizing suffix, creating a noun.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: småls. Norwegian generally stresses the first syllable of a word, but compounding can shift the stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈspœrsmɔːlsˌstiŋːɪŋ/

6. Edge Case Review:

Norwegian allows for some flexibility in syllable division, particularly with consonant clusters. However, the proposed division adheres to the principle of avoiding stranded consonants.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Spørsmålsstilling" primarily functions as a noun. The syllabification remains consistent regardless of its grammatical role within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The act of posing questions; questioning.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine)
  • Translation: Questioning, posing of questions.
  • Synonyms: avhør (interrogation), spørring (query)
  • Antonyms: bekreftelse (affirmation), svar (answer)
  • Examples:
    • "Politiets spørsmålsstilling var aggressiv." (The police's questioning was aggressive.)
    • "Han kritiserte spørsmålsstillingen i intervjuet." (He criticized the questioning in the interview.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • Vennskapsløs: venn-skaps-løs - Similar structure with compounding. Stress on the first syllable.
  • Arbeidsliv: ar-beids-liv - Compound noun. Stress on the second syllable.
  • Høyskoleeksamen: høy-sko-le-eks-a-men - Longer compound noun. Stress on the third syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the length and complexity of the compounds. "Spørsmålsstilling" has a more complex internal structure, shifting the stress to the second syllable.

10. Division Rules:

  • Onset Maximization: Consonant clusters are generally kept together at the beginning of a syllable (e.g., spør).
  • Vowel Peak: Each syllable must contain a vowel.
  • Avoid Stranded Consonants: Consonants are not left alone to form a syllable.

11. Special Considerations:

The genitive -s- can sometimes be tricky, but it's generally treated as part of the preceding syllable.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist in Norwegian, but they don't significantly alter the syllable division.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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