ABSTRACT

Finno-Ugric language (Fin. Suomi) with approx. 5 million speakers; official language of Finland. Literary documents since the sixteenth century.

Characteristics: relatively small consonant and large vowel inventory, including distinctive length. Complex morphology with numerous morphophonological changes. Comprehensive case system (fifteen cases), including the noticeably heavy use of the partitive case (partial objects, negation, incomplete actions, etc.); nine locative cases which are systematically related (inside: outside: general; rest : motion towards: motion away). Subject-verb agreement. Four infinitive forms which denote various degrees of subordination. Word order SVO.