Genetiivilauseessa

Genetiivilauseessa is a Finnish linguistic term used to describe a syntactic situation in which a noun phrase in the genitive case participates within a clause to express possession, attribution, or a relational link between nouns. The genitive form functions as a marker of ownership or association and helps build a possessive or related meaning inside the clause rather than in a simple noun phrase.

Functions and use

The most common use is to express possession or association, for example a noun in genitive modifying another noun: kaupan hinta (the price of the store). Genitive noun phrases can also indicate part–whole relations, such as kiven reuna (the edge of the stone), or other relational meanings that link two nouns within a predicate. In sentences, these genitive phrases typically modify a head noun or participate as a possessive element in the clause, contributing information about ownership, source, or relation without creating a standalone genitive noun phrase.

Formation and syntax

In genetiivilauseessa, the genitive noun generally precedes the head noun it modifies, and the main verb of the clause remains in its normal finite form. The genitive element provides referential information that the rest of the clause uses to interpret the relationship. Examples include: Kaupan hinta nousi (The price of the store rose) and Säästöjen arvo kasvoi (The value of the savings grew). Another example: Meidän talomme ikkunat ovat rikkoutuneet (Our house’s windows have been damaged) where meidän talomme is in genitive as part of a larger noun phrase.

Notes

Genetiivilauseessa is a specialized term found in some grammars and advanced Finnish syntax descriptions. It describes how genitive-marked nouns function within clauses to express possession and relatedness, rather than describing a separate, standalone genitive sentence type.

See also

Finnish genitive, noun phrase, syntax.