adjektiivissananloppuiset

Adjektiivissananloppuiset refers to a phenomenon in Finnish grammar where words that are grammatically adjectives take on noun-like functions, often appearing at the end of a sentence. This grammatical construction is a result of Finnish's flexible word order and case system. When an adjective is placed at the end of a sentence and functions as the predicate of a copular verb (like olla, "to be"), it essentially takes on the role of a nominal predicate.

This usage is common in everyday speech and can convey emphasis or a specific nuance. For instance, instead of saying "Mies on pitkä" (The man is tall), one might say "Pitkä on mies" (Tall is the man) to highlight the quality of being tall. The adjective agrees in case and number with the subject it modifies, even when functioning nominally. This is distinct from using adjectives in attributive positions, where they directly precede the noun they describe. The "adjektiivissananloppuiset" construction relies on the inherent capacity of Finnish adjectives to decline and agree, allowing them to occupy various grammatical slots within a sentence. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for comprehending the full expressive potential of Finnish syntax.