eksempelpar

Eksempelpar, or example pairs, is a general term used to describe two items presented together to illustrate a concept, rule, or contrast. In linguistics and education, the idea is to place two related items side by side to clarify differences, similarities, or patterning. Eksempelpar can be used for language teaching, grammar explanations, pronunciation practice, and semantic distinctions, among other contexts.

In linguistics, eksempelpar is closely related to minimal pairs, which are two words that differ in only one phoneme and have different meanings. Minimal pairs are often used to demonstrate phonemic contrasts in a language. For example, cat versus bat (differing in the initial consonant) or pin versus pan (differing in the vowel) serve as minimal pairs to illustrate how small sound changes can change meaning. Eksempelpar may also cover broader contrasts beyond phonology, such as different grammatical forms or semantic antonyms, not limited to a single phoneme difference.

Applications extend to education, corpus research, and cognitive studies. Teachers use eksempelpar to construct exercises that teach pronunciation, spelling, or grammar rules. Researchers may compile sets of example pairs to analyze error patterns, acquisition sequences, or the effectiveness of instructional methods. In Norwegian-language contexts, the term emphasizes paired examples as a pedagogical and analytical tool, while in English-language linguistics it aligns with the broader concept of illustrative minimal pairs and contrast sets.