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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'), typical for Norwegian compound nouns. Stress is phonemically distinct.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

tom/tɔm/

Open syllable, initial syllable, relatively low sonority.

mel/məl/

Closed syllable, contains a schwa-like vowel.

fin/fɪn/

Closed syllable, stressed syllable, higher sonority.

ger/ɡər/

Closed syllable, contains a schwa-like vowel.

re/reː/

Open syllable, contains a long vowel.

gel/ɡəl/

Closed syllable, final syllable, relatively low sonority.

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:

No prefix present.

Root: tommel, finger, regel

Compound noun formed from three roots: 'thumb', 'finger', and 'rule'. 'Tommel' from Old Norse *þumall*, 'finger' from Old Norse *fingr*, 'regel' from Danish/German *regel* (Latin origin).

Suffix:

No suffix present.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A practical rule or guideline, often unwritten, based on experience or common sense.

Translation: Rule of thumb

Examples:

"Som en tommelfingerregel bør du drikke minst to liter vann om dagen."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

håndregelhån-dreg-el

Similar compound structure with stress on the second element.

fotregelfot-re-gel

Similar compound structure with stress on the second element.

veiregelvei-re-gel

Similar compound structure with stress on the second element.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Onset Maximization

Norwegian syllable division prioritizes including as many consonants as possible in the onset of a syllable.

Vowel Peak

Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.

Sonority Sequencing

Syllable structure generally follows a sonority hierarchy, with sounds becoming more sonorous towards the nucleus (vowel).

Special Considerations

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

Consonant clusters are common in Norwegian and can sometimes present challenges, but the division here is relatively straightforward.

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

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The Norwegian word *tommelfingerregel* is a compound noun meaning 'rule of thumb'. It is divided into six syllables: tom-mel-fin-ger-re-gel, with primary stress on the third syllable ('fin'). The division follows Norwegian rules of onset maximization and vowel peak, and the word is formed from three roots: 'thumb', 'finger', and 'rule'.

Detailed Analysis:

Norwegian Word Analysis: tommelfingerregel

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word tommelfingerregel (roughly pronounced [tɔmːəlˈfiŋɡərˌreːɡəl]) is a compound noun in Norwegian. It's a relatively long word, and its pronunciation involves several consonant clusters.

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 (see JSON output for the orthographic representation).

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • tommel-: Root. From Old Norse þumall, meaning "thumb".
  • finger-: Root. From Old Norse fingr, meaning "finger".
  • regel-: Root. From Danish/German regel, meaning "rule". Ultimately from Latin regula.

The word is a compound, formed by combining these three roots. There are no prefixes or suffixes in the traditional sense.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: finger. This is typical for Norwegian compound nouns, where stress often falls on the second element.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/tɔmːəlˈfiŋɡərˌreːɡəl/

6. Edge Case Review:

Norwegian allows for relatively complex consonant clusters, which can sometimes lead to ambiguity in syllable division. However, in this case, the division is fairly straightforward, following the principle of maximizing onsets.

7. Grammatical Role:

tommelfingerregel functions exclusively as a noun. The syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical context within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A practical rule or guideline, often unwritten, based on experience or common sense.
  • English Translation: Rule of thumb
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (feminine gender)
  • Synonyms: praktisk regel (practical rule), erfaringsregel (rule of experience)
  • Antonyms: lov (law), bestemmelse (regulation)
  • Examples:
    • "Som en tommelfingerregel bør du drikke minst to liter vann om dagen." (As a rule of thumb, you should drink at least two liters of water a day.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • håndregel (hand rule): hån-dreg-el. Similar syllable structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • fotregel (foot rule): fot-re-gel. Similar syllable structure, stress on the second syllable.
  • veiregel (road rule): vei-re-gel. Similar syllable structure, stress on the second syllable.

The consistency in stress placement on the second element in these compound nouns reinforces the general rule for Norwegian compound nouns. The differences in the initial syllables are due to the different root words.

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might exist, but they wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division. Some dialects might reduce the vowel in the first syllable (tommel) slightly, but the syllable boundary would remain the same.

11. Division Rules Applied:

  • Onset Maximization: Norwegian prefers to include as many consonants as possible in the onset of a syllable.
  • Vowel Peak: Each syllable must contain a vowel.
  • Sonority Sequencing: Syllable structure generally follows a sonority hierarchy (sonority refers to the perceived loudness of a sound).
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

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