Durkheim is a proper noun referring to Émile Durkheim, a foundational sociologist whose work on social facts and collective conscience shaped modern sociology. It denotes the man or his scholarly legacy and is used in academic and historical discussions. The term itself is a surname adopted in discourse to reference his theories, writings, and influence within sociology and related fields.
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"Durkheim’s concept of social facts remains central to understanding how societies impose norms on individuals."
"In sociology curricula, Durkheim is discussed alongside Weber and Marx as a founder of modern social theory."
"Durkheim’s study of suicide demonstrated how social integration impacts individual behavior."
"Many texts reference Durkheim when explaining the functions of religion and collective rituals."
Durkheim is a French surname that has become an eponym in English-language sociology. It derives from a personal name of Germanic origin, likely composed of roots related to 'durg' or 'turg' meaning strong and 'heim' meaning home or settlement, common in Germanic toponymic or patronymic surnames. The family name was carried into Francophone regions through Alsace-Lorraine and other areas with mixed linguistic heritage, then disseminated globally with Émile Durkheim’s prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The surname’s import into English-language academic discourse solidified as Durkheim’s works—particularly The Division of Labour in Society (1893) and Suicide (1897)—became canonical, prompting usage such as “Durkheimian sociology” or “Durkheimian analysis.” The precise pronunciation adapted to English phonology over time; early transliterations preserved closer French vowels, but contemporary English usage tends toward anglicized stress and vowel quality, though scholarly work often retains French approximations in formal citations. First known use of the surname in published scholarship mirrors Durkheim’s rise in French academia, with later English publications adopting the name as a proper noun denoting the theorist and his intellectual lineage.
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Words that rhyme with "Durkheim"
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Pronounce as DURK-hame with the emphasis on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈdɜːrkˌheɪm/, UK /ˈdɜːkˌheɪm/, AU /ˈdɜːkˌheɪm/. Start with a dark, mid-back /ɜː/ vowel, follow with /rk/ cluster, then a clear /heɪ/ as in 'hey,' and end with /m/. Mouth positions: start with a relaxed jaw, raise the back of the tongue for /ɜː/, then glide into /k/ and release into /h/ with a breathy onset for /heɪm/.
Two frequent errors: (1) shrinking the second syllable; many say 'DURK-heim' with a clipped second syllable instead of the full /heɪm/. (2) misproducing /ɜː/ as a short /ɪ/ or /ə/. Correct by sustaining a longer, mid-back vowel before the /rk/ cluster and ensuring the /heɪ/ is a stressed, open vowel rather than a schwa.” ,
In US English, the first syllable has a clear stressed /ɜːr/ with a rhotic quality; in UK English, the /ɜː/ is a longer, non-rhotic vowel unless followed by /r/ in some accents; the second syllable /heɪm/ remains similar across accents, but the initial consonant cluster may be slightly lighter in UK and AU accents. Australian tends to be non-rhotic and may have a more centralized /ɜː/ with a vivid /eɪ/; overall shape remains DURK-HEIM with primary stress on first part.” ,
It combines a consonant cluster /rk/ immediately before a voiced/aspirated onset /h/, plus a diphthong in /heɪ/ that can be mispronounced as /hi/ or /hæ/. The name’s French origin also makes vowel length and timbre tricky for non-Francophone speakers, and the second syllable length can be shortened when rapid speech. Focus on maintaining the /ɜːr/ sound, a clear /k/ release, and the distinct /heɪ/ before final /m/.” ,
A distinctive feature is the subtle separation between the /rk/ and /h/ sounds; do not fuse /rk/ with the following /h/ as a single sound. Keep a small, controlled breath after the /rk/ before moving into /h/ and /eɪ/. Also, ensure final /m/ is a calm, nasal closure rather than a soft, faint ending. This separation helps preserve the name’s two-syllable rhythm and makes it sound authentic in academic context.
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