mitmuslikku

Mitmuslikku is a term found in a small subset of Estonian linguistic discussions, referring to a hypothetical grammatical category intended to mark multiplicity beyond ordinary plural marking. The form is built from mitmus, meaning plurality, and the suffix -likku, and it has appeared mainly in niche grammars or typological essays rather than in standard Estonian grammar.

In standard Estonian, plurality is expressed by noun number and case endings; mitmuslikku is not part of contemporary normative grammar. When it is discussed, it is typically described as a possible marker that would emphasize the multiplicity of referents within a noun phrase, or as a theoretical device for encoding collective or distributive readings in sentences. Because the form is not widely adopted in modern usage, its exact morphosyntactic status remains unsettled in most descriptions.

Usage and status: Mitmuslikku is treated as a theoretical or historical option rather than a productive feature of modern Estonian. Its discussion tends to occur in comparative or typological contexts, where linguists explore how different languages encode multiplicity or collectivity. Some authors contrast hypothetical mitmuslikku with ordinary plural or with other multiplicity-related devices found in related languages.

Etymology and form: The term combines mitmus ('plurality') with the nominalizing suffix -likku. Because its status is not standardized, there is no single agreed-upon paradigm or set of inflection rules for mitmuslikku across sources.

See also: mitmus, plurality; Estonian grammar; typological linguistics; multiplicity markers.