sokkeloisten

Sokkeloisten is a Finnish linguistic form that is commonly encountered as the genitive plural of the adjective sokkeloinen, meaning labyrinthine or maze-like. As such, sokkeloisten is used to indicate possession or association with labyrinthine characteristics in phrases describing things that are maze-like, such as passages, routes, or structures.

Etymology and grammar

The base sokkelo comes from sokkelo, meaning a maze or labyrinth. The adjectival suffix -inen yields sokkeloinen (labyrinthine). In Finnish grammar, the genitive plural ending of -inen adjectives is -isten, so sokkeloinen in the genitive plural becomes sokkeloisten. This form is typically found in noun phrases where the labyrinthine quality is attributed to another noun, for example in phrases meaning “labyrinthine routes” or “the labyrinthine passages.”

Usage and examples

Sokkeloisten is mainly used in descriptive or literary contexts rather than as a common everyday term. It appears in phrases that describe the quality of something as maze-like, often in scientific, architectural, or narrative writing. Examples (illustrative): “Sokkeloisten käytävien suunnittelu vaatii huolellisuutta” (“The design of the labyrinthine passages requires careful planning”). “Tutkimus kartoittaa sokkeloisten reittien rakennetta” (“The study maps the structure of the labyrinthine routes”). In translation, sokkeloisten is typically rendered as “labyrinthine” or “of the labyrinthine.”

See also

Related terms include sokkelo (maze), sokkeloisuus (labyrinthine quality), and labyrintti (labyrinth). These entries provide broader context for understanding labyrinthine design and description in Finnish.