A word on words
PEOPLE have been asking how my attempts at Finnish have been going, knowing my interest and aptitude for languages. I hate to admit, but my report card would read “must try harder.” Here’s some gems I picked up while learning...
matalalattiaraitiovaunu = tram (I’ll just take a taxi )
käyttäjäystävällinen = user friendly (not this word )
pikkukaupunkilainen = small-town person (the word is bigger than the town)
Vieraspaikkakuntalainen = out-of-towner (easier to say ‘Englati’ )
maailmankatsomuksellinen = philosophical
“Rules for Stress: (stressing words that is, though this explanation also stressed me)
1) The primary stress is always on the first syllable. Exception: words that only have 1 syllable might or might not have stress. (It is = "se on", both words have stress) (Is it = "onko se?", only "onko" has primary stress -> actually this is pronounced like it would be just one word "onkse", so only the letter "o" has stress.
2) The 2ndary stress
a) Connected words: The first part of the word has always a primary stress on the first syllable. The first part of the connected word doesn't have 2ndary stress at all. The 2nd part of the word has a 2ndary stress on the first vowel, as a replacement of the lacking primary stress that this word would have if it wouldn't be a part of a connected word. The 2nd part of the connected word can have additional 2ndary stresses according to the same rules that "normal" words have them (either on 3rd, 5th syllable or on 4th, 6th syllable).
b) Normal Words. Can have 2ndary stress only if they have at least 4 syllables. Mainly they have 2ndary stress over 3rd, 5th, 7th... syllable. BUT if the third syllable ends with a short vowel, the stress is moved to the 4th, 6th, 8th... syllable. BUT remember: The last syllable never has a stress. E.g: "tulivat" (= they came) doesn't have stress over "vat", although it's the third syllable, because it's also the last one. On the other hand, "tulivatko?" (= did they come?) has stress over "vat", because it's not the last syllable.
c) Some exceptions: -"tulivatkin" (= they came, surprisingly) doesn't have a 2ndary stress, because derivates -kin, -pa and -han don't affect to the stressing at all. -kartoittaminen (=mapping) has a secondary stress on "mi", because derivates -minen, -soida and -teetti behave like they would form a connected word with the word body.
Anyone still with me?
matalalattiaraitiovaunu = tram (I’ll just take a taxi )
käyttäjäystävällinen = user friendly (not this word )
pikkukaupunkilainen = small-town person (the word is bigger than the town)
Vieraspaikkakuntalainen = out-of-towner (easier to say ‘Englati’ )
maailmankatsomuksellinen = philosophical
“Rules for Stress: (stressing words that is, though this explanation also stressed me)
1) The primary stress is always on the first syllable. Exception: words that only have 1 syllable might or might not have stress. (It is = "se on", both words have stress) (Is it = "onko se?", only "onko" has primary stress -> actually this is pronounced like it would be just one word "onkse", so only the letter "o" has stress.
2) The 2ndary stress
a) Connected words: The first part of the word has always a primary stress on the first syllable. The first part of the connected word doesn't have 2ndary stress at all. The 2nd part of the word has a 2ndary stress on the first vowel, as a replacement of the lacking primary stress that this word would have if it wouldn't be a part of a connected word. The 2nd part of the connected word can have additional 2ndary stresses according to the same rules that "normal" words have them (either on 3rd, 5th syllable or on 4th, 6th syllable).
b) Normal Words. Can have 2ndary stress only if they have at least 4 syllables. Mainly they have 2ndary stress over 3rd, 5th, 7th... syllable. BUT if the third syllable ends with a short vowel, the stress is moved to the 4th, 6th, 8th... syllable. BUT remember: The last syllable never has a stress. E.g: "tulivat" (= they came) doesn't have stress over "vat", although it's the third syllable, because it's also the last one. On the other hand, "tulivatko?" (= did they come?) has stress over "vat", because it's not the last syllable.
c) Some exceptions: -"tulivatkin" (= they came, surprisingly) doesn't have a 2ndary stress, because derivates -kin, -pa and -han don't affect to the stressing at all. -kartoittaminen (=mapping) has a secondary stress on "mi", because derivates -minen, -soida and -teetti behave like they would form a connected word with the word body.
Anyone still with me?
posted by Rowena at 12:49 pm
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