nimimuotoilu

Nimimuotoilu, literally name-forming, is a term used in Finnish linguistics to describe nominalization—the process of turning verbs or adjectives into noun forms. It covers a range of suffixes and derivational strategies that produce nouns which denote actions, processes, states, or agents. Nominalized forms are central to Finnish syntax, where nouns carry case endings and can function as subjects, objects, or complements.

Common patterns include action nouns formed with the suffix -minen or -misen, as in kirjoittaa -> kirjoittaminen or lukeminen, which express the act of performing the verb. Abstract or qualitative nouns can be derived with -us or -ys, yielding words like nopeus (speed) from nopea (fast) and harmaus (grayness) from harmaa (gray). Agentive nouns are created with suffixes such as -ja/-jä or -ari/-äri, producing opettaja (teacher) or kirjailija (writer). Process or event nouns can also be formed with -ointi, as in ohjelmointi (programming). The system is productive but subject to irregularities due to root changes or vowel harmony.

In linguistic use, nimimuotoilu helps describe how Finnish expresses actions and concepts through nouns, reducing the need for separate verbs in certain syntactic positions. It interacts with inflection, since nominal forms take cases and number, shaping the structure of noun phrases and enabling compact expression of complex ideas.

See also: Finnish grammar, nominalization, morphology.

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