monikkomuodtonsa

Monikkomuodtonsa is a term in linguistics used to refer to the plural form of a word, focusing on its plural inflection rather than its base meaning. The word is constructed from Finnish monikko meaning "plural," muoto meaning "form," and the possessive suffix -nsa, yielding "its plural form." It is used primarily in theoretical discussions and in teaching to point to the plural morphemes that appear on a headword in inflected forms.

In practice, monikkomuodtonsa covers standard plural suffixes in Finnish, typically -t, and also accounts for stem changes or irregular plurals such as lapsi becoming lapset, yö becoming yöt, and koira becoming koirat. Some nouns show consonant gradation or vowel harmony, which are reflected in the monikkomuodtonsa. The concept helps categorize how pluralization operates across different words, including regular and irregular patterns, within a single analytic frame.

In analysis, the term can help separate the “plural form” from a word’s meaning, enabling clear discussion of how plural morphemes attach to stems. It is common in morphology-focused texts, dictionaries, and language-learning materials that address inflection and word formation. The term is not typically part of everyday Finnish grammar for learners and is mainly used in academic or descriptive contexts to describe plural morphology in a concise way.