21 Comments
850
I don't know if this might help any of you guys that have a native language in which the word 'umbrella' does not sound anything like 'paraplyer', but here is a little reminder why it looks like this word:
The word is original from France and it consists of two words: 'para' and 'pluier', which respectively means (note to native French speakers: please do correct me when I'm wrong) 'against/to stop' and 'raining'. An umbrella is used to wear 'against the rain', so it's "parapluie" in French and "paraplyer" in Swedish (and "paraplu" in Dutch, where I'm from).
It works the same with "parasol", because 'sol' is 'sun' in French.
I'm not from France, so I hope that my explanation is good enough. But nontheless, if this even helped out just only one of you guys, I'd be glad!
For further clarification: This word does not behave like ett äpple äpplet äpplen äpplena because it’s a loanword with stress on the last syllable with a long final vowel.
Other similar nouns are ett te - teet - teer - teerna; ett kafé - kaféet - kaféer - kaféerna, ett batteri - batteriet - batterier - batterierna. And some words with -um-endings like: ett museum - museet - museer - museerna; ett akvarium - akvariet - akvarier, akvarierna; ett jubileum - jubileet - jubileer - jubileerna
However, in everyday speech it’s also possible to say ett paraply, paraply(e)t, paraplyn, paraplyna, at least that’s how I say it in my dialect.
Would "the child has umbrellas" be also "Barnen har paraplyer" or would there be a way in Swedish to distinguish betwenn "child" and "children" in such a sentence?
- 893
That would be Barnet har paraplyer. It's just the indefinite form that is the same in singular and plural in this case (for neuter nouns ending in a consonant).
- 893
Yup. paraply can be either an ett (recommended) or an en (also correct) word.
ett paraply, paraplyet; paraplyer, paraplyerna
en paraply, paraplyn; paraplyn, paraplyna
- 1602
how strange the plural form of (ett) is typically common, while the plural forn of (en) is typically neuter. good we have all the possibilities in the world... :D
- 893
It's odd indeed. Morphology has never been my favorite part of any language, but I have a faint memory of having heard that en plural forms for ett words tends to happen when they're stressed on the final syllable. For instance bageri 'bakery' works the same way, ett bageri, bageriet; bagerier, bagerierna and words like museum get ett museum, museet; museer, museerna.
There seems to be a cognate relation to the English "Parasol", but I see "The children have parasols" marked incorrect meaning either that parasol and umbrella have distinct but similar meanings in Swedish like they do in English, or that parasol may need to be added as acceptable. Assuming the former scenario, what is the Swedish word for parasol?
- 893
Its' parasoll, which can also, interestingly be either an ett or an en word. (ett is recommended but both are correct.)
Did anyone else think the "a" in "har" sounded like an "ö?" Only in the fast reading, not the slower one.
- 841
Yes, to me it sounded exactly like "barnen hör paraplyer". Rather annoying when you get it as a "type what you hear", haha.
