neutrumsingångsord

Neutrumsingångsord is a term used in linguistic pedagogy and lexicography to designate a headword that exemplifies the neuter gender in languages with grammatical gender. The word is a compound of the Swedish neutrum meaning “neuter” and ingångsord meaning “entry word” or “headword.” In practice, neutrumsingångsord are the nouns chosen to illustrate neuter nouns in dictionaries, grammar guides, and teaching materials.

Etymology and scope: The label appears primarily in Swedish-language linguistics and education, emerging in the late 20th century to systematize how neuter nouns are presented to learners. While the underlying idea—using representative neuter nouns as model words—existed earlier, the term neutrumsingångsord provides a concise label for discussions about exemplars and dictionary entries that mark neuter gender.

Usage: In dictionaries, neutrumsingångsord may be listed as headwords with gender indicated as neuter, and they may appear in introductory sections to illustrate article use, declension, and agreement. In pedagogical materials, they help learners recognize patterns of noun inflection and article choice associated with neuter nouns. Common examples in Swedish include nouns like hus (home) and barn (child), which are typically used with the indefinite article ett and form definite nouns as huset and barnet. In other languages with a neuter class, language-specific exemplars are used accordingly.

Limitations and debates: The term is not widely used outside specialized contexts, and some linguists prefer simpler labels such as “neuter headwords” or “neuter nouns.” The concept can be ambiguous for speakers of languages with multiple noun-class systems or less clear neuter categories.

See also: grammatical gender, neuter (linguistics), headword, lexicography, language pedagogy.