Erinäisen

Erinäisen is a Finnish grammatical form that functions as the genitive singular of the adjective erinäinen. The adjective erinäinen conveys the sense of being distinct, characteristic, or peculiar in a given context. As a genitive form, erinäisen is used to link the descriptor to a noun in the genitive case, indicating that the noun possesses the distinct quality in question.

Etymology and morphology: Erinäinen is a standard -inen adjective derived from the stem eri- meaning "different" plus the adjectival suffix -inen. The genitive singular of -inen adjectives is formed with -isen, yielding erinäisen. This pattern is common in Finnish grammar for modifying nouns in the genitive or possessive constructions.

Usage and examples: Erinäisen appears in formal or written Finnish when discussing attributes. For example, in a phrase like "erinäisen ominaisuuden ilmentyminen" the meaning is "the manifestation of a distinctive feature." The usage is more likely in descriptive prose, linguistic analysis, or philosophy than in everyday speech.

Varieties and notes: Erinäisen is not a separate lexical item; it is an inflected form of erinäinen. In modern Finnish, adjectives of this class appear across registers, but in very old or poetic texts you may encounter alternative inflections. The exact meaning depends on context and the noun it modifies.

See also: Finnish grammar, Finnish adjectives, erinäinen, erilainen, ominaisuus.