Määränneet

Määränneet is a Finnish linguistic term that functions as a grammatical form of the verb määrätä, meaning to determine, to order, or to appoint. It is the plural form of the active past participle and can be used either as an adjective modifying a plural noun or as a nominal phrase referring to the group of people who have performed the action of ordering or appointing.

In usage, määränneet commonly appears in formal or bureaucratic Finnish. As an attributive adjective, it can modify a noun, for example määränneet viranomaiset, meaning “the authorities who have ordered/appointed.” It can also operate as a stand-alone noun phrase referring to those people themselves, as in Määränneet ovat allekirjoittaneet asiakirjan, “The ones who have ordered have signed the document.” The form helps foreground the action taken by the subjects rather than the subject alone.

Etymology and form: Määränneet is derived from the verb määrätä. It belongs to the Finnish participle system, which allows non-finite verb forms to function as adjectives or nouns. The plural active past participle indicates that the agents performed the action of determining, ordering, or appointing.

Notes: The term is relatively specialized. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer a finite clause to express the same idea (for example, describing who ordered or who appointed) rather than using the participle alone.

See also: Finnish grammar, participles, määrätä.

References: Finnish language references such as Kielitoimiston sanakirja and general Finnish grammar resources.