Yssuffixistä

Yssuffixistä is a theoretical term in morphology used to describe a suffixing process in which a suffix (the so-called yssuffixi) combines with another suffix to form a higher-order suffix. The concept is primarily discussed in theoretical and constructed-language contexts as a way to model layered derivation in agglutinative systems. It is not widely attested in standard Finnish grammar or in descriptions of unrelated natural languages.

In analysis, a base stem or a fundamental suffix S1 can take a yssuffixi Y to yield a composite suffix Y-S1. The resulting yssuffixistä form then attaches to the stem or to the previous suffix, creating a multi-layered derivational unit. The semantic load typically concerns mood, evidentiality, aspect, or nominalization, depending on the language. Phonological constraints, such as vowel harmony and consonant assimilation, would apply to the entire suffix chain.

Distribution and status: The idea is largely theoretical and appears mainly in discussions of morphology in papers on derivational architecture and in some conlang grammars. It has no broad cross-linguistic endorsement and is not a standard part of mainstream Finnic studies.

Examples (schematic): root R with base suffix S1 gives R-S1. Applying yssuffixi Y yields R-S1-Y, a further-derivational form with an added category (e.g., modality). The exact shapes of S1 and Y, and their meanings, are language-specific.

See also: affix, suffix, derivational morphology, agglutinative languages, Finnish grammar, conlang linguistics.

References: The term is primarily encountered in theoretical discussions and experimental grammars; no stable, widely cited references exist.