Hyphenation ofarbetslöshetssiffrorna

Swedish Word Analysis: arbetslöshetssiffrorna

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "arbetslöshetssiffrorna" is a complex noun in Swedish, meaning "the unemployment figures." It's formed through compounding and suffixation. Pronunciation involves a relatively consistent vowel quality, with stress falling on the third syllable.

2. Syllable Division:

ar-bets-lös-hetssif-fror-na

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• Prefix: None
• Root: arbete (work) - Germanic origin, denoting the core concept.
• Suffixes:
  • -lös (less, without) - Germanic origin, forming an adjective meaning "without work".
  • -het (nominalizing suffix, turning an adjective into a noun) - Germanic origin, creating the noun arbetslöshet (unemployment).
  • -s- (genitive/plural marker) - Germanic origin, indicating possession or plurality.
  • -iffrorna (the figures) - siffra (figure, number) + -orna (definite plural article).

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the third syllable: lös.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈarˌbɛtsˈløːʃɛtːsɪfːrɔnːa/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

• ar- /ar/ - Open syllable. Rule: Syllables are formed around vowel nuclei. No consonant clusters prevent division here.
• bets- /bɛts/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable unless they are easily separable. The 'ts' cluster is treated as a single unit.
• lös- /løːʃ/ - Open syllable, stressed. Rule: Stress influences syllable prominence. The vowel is long.
• hetssif- /hɛtːsɪf/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant clusters are maintained. The doubled 't' creates a geminate consonant, influencing syllable weight.
• fror- /frɔr/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel nuclei define syllable boundaries.
• na /nːa/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Final consonant closes the syllable.

7. Edge Case Review:

The geminate consonants (doubled consonants) like 'tt' in hetssif are common in Swedish and affect syllable weight and pronunciation. The 's' linking the noun löshet and siffrorna is a typical feature of Swedish compounding.

8. Grammatical Role:

The word is primarily a noun. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of grammatical function, as the word doesn't undergo significant morphological changes that would alter its syllable structure.

9. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: arbetslöshetssiffrorna
• Part of Speech: Noun (definite plural)
• Definitions:
  • "The unemployment figures"
  • "The numbers relating to unemployment"
• Translation: The unemployment figures
• Synonyms: arbetsmarknadssiffrorna (labor market figures)
• Antonyms: sysselsättningssiffrorna (employment figures)
• Examples:
  • "Arbetslöshetssiffrorna steg i december." (The unemployment figures rose in December.)
  • "Regeringen analyserar arbetslöshetssiffrorna noggrant." (The government is carefully analyzing the unemployment figures.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation exist, but they don't significantly alter the syllable division. Some dialects might have slightly different vowel qualities, but the core syllable structure remains the same.

11. Phonological Comparison:

• vinterkylan (winter cold): vin-ter-ky-lan - Similar syllable structure with compounding.
• datorkursen (computer course): da-tor-kur-sen - Similar syllable structure with compounding and suffixation.
• bokhyllan (bookshelf): bok-hyl-lan - Similar syllable structure with compounding.

The differences lie in the specific consonant clusters and vowel qualities, but the underlying principle of vowel-centered syllables and maintained consonant clusters applies consistently. The geminate consonants in arbetslöshetssiffrorna are more frequent than in the other examples, influencing syllable weight.