Kirkkaisiin

Kirkkaisiin is the illative plural form of the Finnish adjective kirkas, meaning bright. In Finnish, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in number and case, and the illative plural suffix for adjectives is typically -isiin, producing forms such as kirkkaisiin. The form is most common in descriptive or literary language, where it can indicate movement toward or into something described as bright, or simply describe a plural noun phrase in the illative case.

Usage and interpretation

Kirkkaisiin can modify any plural noun in illative case, for example kirkkaisiin ikkunoihin (to the bright windows) or kirkkaisiin valaisimiin (to the bright lights). In sentences, the illative often conveys direction of movement, but it can also appear in non-locative, descriptive contexts within literary or descriptive prose. Because Finnish adjectives agree with the noun they modify, kirkkaisiin is attached to the adjective stem regardless of the noun used.

Morphology

Kirkkaisiin derives from kirkas with the illative plural suffix -isiin. The form illustrates Finnish adjective inflection: the root kirkas remains recognizable, while the ending marks number, case, and grammatical function.

See also

Finnish grammar, Illative case, Adjective inflection, Finnish adjectives.