yleisnimien

Yleisnimien is the genitive plural form of yleisnimi, a Finnish linguistic term for common nouns. In Finnish grammar, yleisnimi denotes a general name for a class of objects rather than a specific instance. It contrasts with erisnimi, the category for proper names. Examples of yleisnimi include koira (dog), auto (car), and kaupunki (city).

Yleisnimien is used in phrases that discuss the category or properties of common nouns, as well as in references to their inflection. For example, phrases such as yleisnimien käyttö (the use of common nouns) or yleisnimien merkitys kielessä (the meaning of common nouns in language) illustrate how the genitive plural marks possession, description, or relation to other terms within a noun phrase.

Grammatical notes and usage context are central to the concept. The distinction between yleisnimi and erisnimi is taught in language education and described in dictionaries and grammars. Finnish lacks an explicit indefinite/definite article system, so the functional difference between common and proper nouns is primarily shown through capitalization (erisnimi) and contextual interpretation rather than articles. The form yleisnimien specifically signals that the head noun is plural and in the genitive, enabling precise linguistic references such as classifications, discussions of usage, or comparisons with other noun classes.

In summary, yleisnimien serves as the grammatical marker for discussing multiple common nouns in Finnish, linking a set of general names to their properties, usage, or relationships within a sentence or scholarly discussion.