Ikärakennetta

Ikärakennetta is a term used in Finnish linguistics to denote the kernel structure, the minimal sentence form that carries the core proposition of a clause. The concept, often called the kernel sentence in English-language grammar, serves as a reference point for analysing how sentences are built and transformed. In descriptions of Finnish syntax, ikärakennetta refers to the essential subject-verb core, with objects or other arguments treated as elaborations that can be added around the core without changing its basic meaning. Because Finnish uses rich case marking, the surface word order is flexible, but the kernel remains the stable core around which variations are organized.

Typical examples of an ikärakennetta include simple declaratives such as "Kissa nukkuu" (the cat sleeps) or "Koira syö omenaa" (the dog eats an apple). Negation is analyzed as a modification of the kernel: "Kissa ei nuku" (the cat does not sleep). Question formation also builds on the kernel: "Nukkuuko kissa?" or "Syöko koira omenaa?" In more complex sentences, additional modifiers, subordinate clauses, or adverbial phrases expand the kernel while preserving the core structure.

The notion is used in teaching grammar, in grammatical analysis, and in cross-linguistic typology to compare how different languages realize the core propositional content. It emphasizes the distinction between the sentence’s essential meaning and its contingent elements.