Kertomaisten

Kertomaisten is a Finnish term that occurs mainly in linguistic and literary contexts as the genitive plural form of the adjective kertomainen, meaning “narrative-like” or “story-like.” In standard prose it functions as part of noun phrases describing features of a text and is not typically used as a standalone noun. When translated, kertomaisten conveys “of the narrative features” or “of the story-like qualities.”

Grammatically, kertomainen is an -inen adjective; in the plural genitive the form is kertomaisten. For example, phrases such as “kertomaisten piirteet” mean “the features of the narrative,” and “kertomaisten rakennetta” could refer to “the structure of the narrative.” In Finnish, more common ways to discuss narrative aspects are tarinallinen or kertomuksellinen, but kertomaisten can appear in academic writing to emphasize the story-like qualities of a text.

Kertomaisten is relatively specialized and does not denote a widely recognized standalone concept in general Finnish usage. It may also appear in contexts where the term functions as part of a larger discussion about narrative form or in translated or fictional texts where it is used as a descriptive label. In everyday language, speakers are more likely to use standard terms such as tarina, tarinallinen, kertomus, or kertoja when talking about storytelling.

See also: kertomainen, tarinallinen, kertomus, kertoja.