taivutussanasta

Taivutussanasta is a term used in Finnish grammar and language descriptions to refer to a word that is used as the anchor for inflectional patterns. In analyses and instructional texts, taivutussana serves as the base word around which the different inflected forms are illustrated. It is not a separate grammatical category like noun or verb; rather, it is a label for the word whose inflection is being demonstrated.

In practice, any content word—such as a noun, a verb, or an adjective—can function as a taivutussana in an example or a paradigm. When a grammarian presents a declension or conjugation, the taivutussana is the form listed at the head of the table, and the surrounding forms show how that word changes across cases, numbers, tenses, moods, or other inflectional categories. The concept helps learners and readers focus on the inflectional system without needing to refer to every word’s full paradigm.

The exact definition and scope of taivutussana can vary between grammars. Some sources prefer to describe perusmuoto (the base form or lemma) or taivutusmuoto (an inflected form) rather than using taivutussana, while others explicitly employ taivutussana as a practical classroom or descriptive device. The term etymologically combines taivutus (inflection) and sana (word).

In summary, taivutussanasta denotes a word chosen to demonstrate how inflection works in a given paradigm, and its role is primarily pedagogical and descriptive.