ojämln

Ojämln is not a standard entry in contemporary Swedish dictionaries and is not commonly used as a standalone lexical item. In most contexts, it appears as a nonstandard or abbreviated form related to the concept of not being equal, and it is generally better to use ojämlik or ojämlikhet, which are established words meaning not equal or inequality. If encountered, ojämln is usually interpreted from context as signaling a lack of equality, but it should be treated as nonstandard.

Origin and morphology

The prefix o- in Swedish conveys negation, attached to a root associated with equality. The conventional and widely accepted forms are ojämlik (not equal) and ojämlikhet (inequality). The sequence jämln is not a recognized standalone stem in modern Swedish, so ojämln is considered a truncation or shorthand rather than a proper standard form. As a result, it is rarely if ever used in formal writing.

Usage

In mathematical, statistical, or social-science writing, it is preferable to use ojämlik or ojämlikhet, or to phrase the idea more explicitly with not-equal constructions such as “inte lika med.” If ojämln appears, readers should infer the intended sense from context, acknowledging that the form is nonstandard and may cause confusion.

See also

jämlikhet, ojämlik, ojämn, jämlik, inequality terminology.