Hyphenation ofsjälvmordsstatistikens

Swedish Word Analysis: självmordsstatistikens

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "självmordsstatistikens" is a complex noun in Swedish, meaning "the suicide statistics'". It's a compound word built from several morphemes. Pronunciation involves a mix of consonant clusters and vowels, typical of Swedish.

2. Syllable Division:

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

3. Morphemic Analysis:

• själv-: Prefix, meaning "self-". Germanic origin. Functions as an intensifying prefix.
• mord-: Root, meaning "murder/killing". Germanic origin. Here, it refers to taking one's own life.
• stats-: Root, meaning "state/statistics". From German "Statistik", ultimately from Italian "statista".
• -istik-: Suffix, forming nouns related to a field of study or collection of data. From German/Italian.
• -ens: Definite article suffix, genitive singular. Indicates possession or belonging.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: stats-. Swedish generally stresses the first syllable of a word, but compound words often shift the stress to the second element.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/ˈsjølvmɔːrsstaˈtɪstɪkɛnːs/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "vm" is relatively common in Swedish and doesn't pose a significant syllabification challenge. The long vowels and the geminate consonant "nn" at the end are typical features of Swedish phonology.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is a noun in the genitive singular form. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical case.

8. Definition & Semantics:

• Word: självmordsstatistikens
• Part of Speech: Noun (common, genitive singular)
• Definitions:
  • "the suicide statistics'"
  • "statistics relating to suicide"
• Translation: English: "the suicide statistics'"
• Synonyms: självmordsdata (suicide data)
• Antonyms: (Difficult to find a direct antonym, as it relates to a specific event)
• Examples:
  • "Enligt självmordsstatistikens visar en ökning av antalet självmord." (According to the suicide statistics, there is an increase in the number of suicides.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

• statsbudgeten (the state budget): stats-bud-ge-ten. Similar syllable structure in the "stats-" portion.
• självkänsla (self-esteem): själv-käns-la. Similar "själv-" prefix and syllable division.
• statistikernas (the statisticians'): stats-ti-ker-nas. Similar "stats-" root and the genitive plural suffix.

The differences in syllable division arise from the varying suffixes and the length of the root morphemes. The "stats-" syllable remains consistent across these examples.

10. Division Rules:

• Onset Maximization: Swedish prefers to include as many consonants as possible in the onset of a syllable. This applies to "själv-", "mord-", and "stats-".
• Vowel Peak: Each syllable must contain a vowel.
• Sonority Sequencing: Syllables generally follow a sonority hierarchy (vowels are more sonorous than consonants).

11. Special Considerations:

The geminate consonant "nn" at the end of the word is a common feature in Swedish and influences the syllable weight. The vowel length in "själv" and "stats" also affects the syllable structure.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might exist, but they generally don't affect the syllable division. Some dialects might slightly alter the stress pattern, but the primary stress remains on "stats-".