käännössanat

Käännössanat are loanwords in Finnish that have been created by translating the components of a foreign word or phrase into Finnish. This is a method of word formation that aims to preserve the meaning of the original term without directly borrowing its phonetic form. Instead of adopting a foreign word as it is, Finnish creates a new word by translating its constituent parts.

For example, the English term "skyscraper" can be translated into Finnish as "pilvenpiirtäjä". "Pilvi" means "cloud" and "piirtäjä" means "drawer" or "scraper". Thus, "pilvenpiirtäjä" literally translates to "cloud scraper" or "cloud drawer", capturing the essence of a very tall building that reaches towards the sky. Another common example is "email", which in Finnish is often translated as "sähköposti". "Sähkö" means "electric" and "posti" means "mail", forming "electric mail" to describe electronic correspondence.

This practice of creating käännössanat is a way for Finnish to adapt to new concepts and technologies without relying solely on direct borrowing, which can sometimes lead to words that are difficult for native speakers to pronounce or integrate into the language. Käännössanat maintain a connection to the original meaning while fitting within Finnish linguistic structures and phonology. They are a significant part of Finnish vocabulary, especially in technical and scientific fields, and contribute to the richness and expressiveness of the language.