Siirtokäänne

Siirtokäänne, often translated as "transfer turn" or "shift turn" in English, is a concept in linguistics that describes a particular type of word formation or semantic shift. It refers to the process where a word, often a noun, is used in a new context or with a new grammatical function without undergoing explicit morphological change. This often involves a transfer of meaning from its original domain to a new one.

For instance, a concrete noun might be used metaphorically to describe an abstract concept. The word "grasp" can refer to the physical act of holding something, but also to understanding or comprehending an idea. This shift in meaning from the physical to the abstract is a form of siirtokäänne. Similarly, a noun might be used as a verb, a phenomenon known as conversion or zero derivation in some linguistic traditions. For example, in English, "to google" is derived from the proper noun "Google".

Siirtokäänne is a common and productive process in many languages, contributing to the flexibility and evolution of vocabulary. It allows for the creation of new meanings and expressions without the need for inventing entirely new words or adding affixes. The understanding of siirtokäänne is important for analyzing word meaning, language acquisition, and the historical development of languages. It highlights how language users creatively adapt existing linguistic resources to meet communicative needs.