Lisäkirjaimien

Lisäkirjaimien, meaning "additional letters" in Finnish, refers to a specific set of characters used in the Finnish alphabet that are not found in the basic Latin alphabet. These include ä, ö, å, and historically, the letter w. While ä and ö are integral parts of standard Finnish orthography and are considered distinct vowels, å is primarily used in loanwords and proper nouns of Swedish origin, though its usage has become less common in modern Finnish. The letter w, while less frequent, can appear in names and certain older technical terms. The inclusion of these additional letters is crucial for accurately representing the sounds and nuances of the Finnish language. Their presence distinguishes Finnish from many other Germanic and Romance languages that rely solely on the 26 letters of the basic Latin alphabet. Understanding the role and pronunciation of these lisäkirjaimien is fundamental for anyone learning or engaging with the Finnish language.