erillisenlaiseksi

Erillisenlaiseksi is a Finnish grammatical form used to express a change of state into something described as erillisenlainen, meaning “of a separate kind” or “distinct.” The form is used predicatively to indicate that a subject has become, or is becoming, something that belongs to a separate category or kind compared with others. It is primarily found in formal, theoretical, or literary Finnish, and is uncommon in everyday speech.

Morphology and formation: The form is built from the adjective erillisenlainen and the translative suffix -ksi, which signals change of state or turning into something. The resulting form, erillisenlaiseksi, literally conveys “to become of a separate kind.” The construction reflects how Finnish commonly marks transitions to new states by combining an adjective with the translative suffix.

Usage and notes: Erillisenlaiseksi is comparatively rare and is most likely to appear in discussions of classification, differentiation, or identity formation in academic or stylistic writing. In ordinary language, speakers more often express similar meanings with verbs such as tulla erilliseksi or eriytyä, which convey becoming or separating in more common terms. Erillisenlaiseksi can thus function as a precise, stylistically marked way to describe a transition into a distinct category.

Related terms: erillinen (separate), -lainen (adjective-forming suffix meaning “of a kind”), translative -ksi, eriytyä (to detach or become separate), eriyttää. These elements are part of the broader system Finnish uses to express state changes and categorization.