perustatekstiin

Perustatekstiin is a Finnish term formed as the illative case of the compound noun grunn form meaning the base or foundational text. It refers to the original text that serves as the basis for analysis, interpretation, or quotation, as opposed to translations, summaries, or secondary literature. The word is used in academic and scholarly writing when specifying which text is being discussed or cited as the primary source.

In usage, perustatekstiin signals movement toward or reference to the base text. It is common in discussions of sources, editions, or textual analysis. For example, a researcher might write: Tutkimuksessa viitataan perustatekstiin. This translates to “The study refers to the base text.” The illative form helps distinguish the target of reference from other texts that may surround or accompany it, such as commentary or paraphrase.

Morphologically, perustatekstiin is formed by combining the base word for “base/foundation” with “teksti” (text) and adding the illative suffix -in, indicating “into/into the base text.” The construction illustrates how Finnish uses compounding and case endings to express nuanced relationships to a text within scholarly discourse.

Overall, perustatekstiin is a precise grammatical form used to direct attention to the primary source text in Finnish writing, signaling that the base text is the focal point of discussion or citation.