Käsikirju

Käsikirju is a Finnish noun that appears in some texts as a form referring to a manuscript or written document. It is not a standard modern Finnish term for everyday use; the more common words are käsikirja for a handbook or manual, and käsikirjoitus for a script or screenplay. When käsikirju is encountered today, it is typically interpreted as an older or dialectal variant, or as a shorthand for a hand-written draft or manuscript rather than a finished, printed work.

Etymology and usage context: the word is formed from käsikirja (handbook or manual) with the noun-forming suffix -u, producing a designation related to a hand-produced or stored written item. In historical texts or archival material, käsikirju may appear to describe a document in manuscript form, often prior to formal publication or printing.

In contemporary Finnish, the recommended terms are käsikirjoitus for a script (as in film, theater, or broadcasting) and käsikirja for a manual or guide. Käsikirju, when found, should be interpreted from its surrounding context to determine whether it refers to a manuscript, a draft, or is simply an archaic or regional variant.

See also: käsikirjoitus, käsikirja, manuscript.