lastuiksi

Lastuiksi is a Finnish word form derived from the noun lastu, meaning a splinter, chip, or shaving of wood. The form lastuiksi represents the translative case in the plural, used to express a change of state or transformation into splinters or small pieces. In usage, lastuiksi can describe a material breaking apart or being reduced to many small fragments, and it can also appear in figurative contexts to convey a breakdown into many parts.

Etymology and form: lastu is the base noun, and the suffix -ksi marks the translative case in Finnish, indicating becoming or turning into something. When forming the plural, the suffix becomes -iksi, yielding lastuiksi. This construction is most natural in sentences that describe a process of fragmentation or a resulting state involving multiple pieces.

Usage and examples: In literal contexts, one common construction is with a verb of breaking or changing, for example: Puu muuttui lastuiksi. (“The wood changed into splinters.”) Another example could be: Puut halkesivat lastuiksi. (“The trees split into splinters.”) In figurative or descriptive prose, lastuiksi can be used to convey a scene of breakdown into many pieces, though such usage is less frequent than its literal sense.

Related notes: Lastuiksi is part of the broader Finnish system of the translative case (-ksi), which expresses becoming. The base noun lastu contrasts with related words like lastuja (partitive plural of splinter) or lastu (singular nominative).

See also: Finnish translative case, lastu.