käändelõpp

Käädelõpp is a term used in Estonian linguistics to refer to the final element of a word's inflectional suffix. This refers to the very last morpheme attached to a word stem to indicate grammatical function such as case, number, or tense. For example, in the Estonian word "majade" (of houses), the suffix is "-de", and within this suffix, the final part "-e" could be considered the käädelõpp in certain analytical frameworks, though the concept is more broadly applied to the entirety of the inflectional ending.

The study of käädelõpp is important for understanding the morphology of Estonian and its relationship to other Finnic languages. Analyzing these final elements helps linguists identify patterns in grammatical change and reconstruct historical forms. While not a universally applied term in all linguistic theories, it serves as a useful descriptor for the tail end of grammatical endings in Estonian. The precise definition and application of käädelõpp can vary depending on the specific grammatical analysis being undertaken by a linguist. Its significance lies in its contribution to the detailed understanding of word formation and grammatical marking in the Estonian language.