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Hyphenation ofövervakningssamhället

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

ö-ver-vak-nings-sam-häl-let

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

/œˈvɛrˌvɑːkniŋsˌsamˈhɛlːət/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

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Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('vak'), following the pattern of stress on the first syllable of the second root in compound words.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

ö/œ/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ver/vɛr/

Open syllable, unstressed.

vak/vɑːk/

Closed syllable, primary stress.

nings/niŋs/

Closed syllable, unstressed.

sam/sam/

Open syllable, unstressed.

häl/hɛlː/

Open syllable, unstressed.

let/ət/

Closed syllable, unstressed, definite article suffix.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

över(prefix)
+
vaknings(root)
+
samhället(suffix)

Prefix: över

Proto-Germanic origin, meaning 'over' or 'above', intensifier.

Root: vaknings

Derived from 'vaka' (to watch), Proto-Germanic origin.

Suffix: samhället

Composed of 'samhäll-' (society, Old Norse origin) and '-et' (definite article suffix, Proto-Germanic origin).

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

The state or concept of a society characterized by extensive surveillance.

Translation: The surveillance society

Examples:

"I det moderna övervakningssamhället registreras våra handlingar ständigt."

"Debatten om övervakningssamhället är intensiv."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

arbetssamhälletar-bets-sam-häl-let

Similar compound structure with stress on the second root.

informationssamhälletin-for-ma-tions-sam-häl-let

Similar compound structure with stress on the second root.

välfärdssamhälletväl-färds-sam-häl-let

Similar compound structure with stress on the second root.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable Preference

Swedish favors open syllables (CV), leading to divisions like 'ö-ver'.

Consonant Cluster Handling

Consonant clusters are generally kept together unless complex.

Suffix Separation

Suffixes, especially grammatical markers, are separated into their own syllables.

Compound Word Stress

Stress in compound words often falls on the first syllable of the second root.

Special Considerations

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

No major exceptions or anomalies in syllabification.

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

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'övervakningssamhället' is a compound noun syllabified based on Swedish rules favoring open syllables and separating suffixes. Stress falls on the second root ('vak'). The morphemic breakdown reveals its composition from prefixes, roots, and a definite article suffix. Syllable division is consistent with similar compound nouns in Swedish.

Detailed Analysis:

Swedish Word Analysis: övervakningssamhället

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "övervakningssamhället" (the surveillance society) is a compound noun in Swedish. It's relatively long and contains several morphemes. Pronunciation involves a mix of vowel qualities and consonant clusters typical of Swedish.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Swedish syllabification rules, which generally favor open syllables (CV structure) and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are complex, the division is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • över-: Prefix, meaning "over" or "above". Origin: Proto-Germanic. Morphological function: Intensifier/preposition.
  • vaknings-: Root, derived from "vaka" (to watch, to be awake). Origin: Proto-Germanic. Morphological function: Verbal root.
  • samhäll-: Root, meaning "society". Origin: Old Norse "samfelagi" (together being). Morphological function: Noun root.
  • -et: Suffix, definite article suffix for neuter nouns. Origin: Proto-Germanic. Morphological function: Grammatical marker.

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the second syllable: "vak-". Swedish stress is generally predictable, falling on the first syllable of a word, but compound words often have stress on the first element of the second root.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/œˈvɛrˌvɑːkniŋsˌsamˈhɛlːət/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "-vaks-" is a common occurrence in Swedish and doesn't pose a significant syllabification challenge. The "-nings" suffix is also standard. The definite article "-et" is always a separate syllable.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is primarily a noun. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: The state or concept of a society characterized by extensive surveillance, often by governmental or institutional bodies.
  • Translation: The surveillance society
  • Grammatical Category: Noun (ett samhälle - neuter gender)
  • Synonyms: Övervakningsstaten (the surveillance state), kontrollsamhället (the control society)
  • Antonyms: Fritt samhälle (free society), privat samhälle (private society)
  • Examples:
    • "I det moderna övervakningssamhället registreras våra handlingar ständigt." (In the modern surveillance society, our actions are constantly recorded.)
    • "Debatten om övervakningssamhället är intensiv." (The debate about the surveillance society is intense.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • arbetssamhället (the working society): /arˈbɛtːsˌsamˈhɛlːət/ - Syllable division: ar-bets-sam-häl-let. Similar structure, stress on the second root.
  • informationssamhället (the information society): /ɪnfɔrˈmɑːʃɔnsˌsamˈhɛlːət/ - Syllable division: in-for-ma-tions-sam-häl-let. Similar structure, stress on the second root.
  • välfärdssamhället (the welfare state): /vɛlˈfɛrːdsˌsamˈhɛlːət/ - Syllable division: väl-färds-sam-häl-let. Similar structure, stress on the second root.

The consistent stress pattern on the second root in these compound nouns demonstrates a regular phonological feature of Swedish.

10. Division Rules:

  • Rule 1: Open Syllable Preference: Swedish favors open syllables (CV). This is evident in the division of "över-" as "ö-ver".
  • Rule 2: Consonant Cluster Handling: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable unless they are complex (e.g., "vaks-").
  • Rule 3: Suffix Separation: Suffixes are typically separated into their own syllables, especially those that are grammatical markers (e.g., "-et").
  • Rule 4: Compound Word Stress: Stress in compound words often falls on the first syllable of the second root.

11. Special Considerations:

The word is a relatively straightforward example of Swedish syllabification. No major exceptions or anomalies are present. Regional variations in pronunciation might affect vowel quality, but not syllable division.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

While the IPA transcription provided is standard, some regional dialects might exhibit slight variations in vowel pronunciation. However, these variations would not typically alter the syllable division.

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

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