mitäkin

Mitäkin is a Finnish particle formed by combining the interrogative pronoun mitä (what) with the emphasis particle -kin. It functions to add emphasis, indefiniteness, or a sense of surprise to a question or a noun phrase. The -kin suffix can convey inclusiveness or “even,” and when attached to mitä it often broadens or intensifies the sense of the expression. In practice, mitäkin is most common in spoken Finnish and informal writing.

Usage and nuance

- As a determiner or modifier, mitäkin can indicate “what kinds of” or “what sort of,” as in what kinds of things or stories are being discussed. For example, lauseisiin like mitäkin juttuja express variations of “what kinds of things” or “and what else.”

- As an exclamatory particle, mitäkin can stand alone or appear in short phrases to convey surprise or disbelief, similar to “What on earth!” or “What the heck!”

- The tone is typically informal; in formal writing, simpler forms or different constructions are preferred.

Examples

- Mitäkin juttuja hän kertoi. — What kinds of stories he told.

- Mitäkin! — What on earth! (an exclamatory reaction)

- Mitäkin lisää tulee arkistoon? — What more will be added to the archive?

Relation to other forms

- -kin is a general emphasis or inclusivity marker that can attach to various parts of speech. When used with mitä, it broadens the scope or intensifies the question or noun phrase.

- While common in everyday Finnish, käyttötavat of mitäkin can vary by region and speaker, and it is less typical in formal, written Finnish.