sointien

Sointien is a Finnish term that functions as the genitive plural form of the noun sointi, meaning sound, tone, or timbre. In Finnish-language texts, sointien is used to refer to multiple tones or sonic qualities, such as in discussions of musical harmony, timbre, or acoustic characteristics of an instrument or voice. It is not a separate concept with a fixed technical definition; rather, it is a grammatical form that appears in sentences describing sets or ranges of tones.

In practice, sointi and its plural sointien appear in musicology, acoustics, and linguistics to describe the qualities of sound. The phrase sointien kirjo, for example, would convey “the range of tones” or “the collection of tones” under consideration. Because sointien is a genitive plural form, it commonly shows up in phrases that specify possession or association, such as “sointien väri” (color of tones) or “sointien rakenne” (structure of tones).

Etymology and grammar: sointi is derived from the Finnish root related to sound and resonance, and its genitive plural form sointien is used when referring to more than one tone in a context that requires a grammatical genitive. The term is primarily a linguistic or descriptive tool within Finnish and appears in formal writing rather than as a standalone concept.

See also: sointi; harmonian; äänitermi.