Isuussuffiksin

Isuussuffiksin is a morphological suffix that has been documented in several Finno‑Ugric languages. The term combines the Finnish word *isuu*, which denotes largeness or greatness, with the English suffix *‑suffixin*, indicating that the morpheme functions as a suffix. In grammatical descriptions the suffix is usually transcribed as *‑isu* or *‑isuu‑* and is noted for its role in denoting augmentative or intensifying meaning in noun and adjective paradigms.

The suffix originated in early Proto‑Finno‑Ugric, where it served to form nouns from adjectives that carry a notion of "greatness" or "excess". It is retained in modern Finnish under the form *‑isuus* (as in *karjalaisuus* “austiness”) and in Estonian as *‑us*. Linguists often trace its cognates to the Proto‑Uralic base *‑sku* or *‑sou*, which originally marked abstract qualities. In the academic literature it is commonly referenced in works on Finnic morphology such as the studies by Pöysti (1981) and Väätäinen (1995).

In contemporary usage Isuussuffiksin appears mainly in literary and poetic contexts where the speaker wishes to emphasize the magnitude of a concept. For instance, the Finnish compound *tähdenisku* (“star‑intensity”) illustrates how the suffix can create a new lexical item that stresses grandeur. Though not productive in everyday speech, the suffix has inspired modern neologisms in some creative writing circles, maintaining a link between historical morphologic processes and contemporary language play.