äänimäärillä

äänimäärillä is a Finnish term that translates to "with sound quantities" or "by sound amounts." It is primarily used in the context of language, particularly phonetics and phonology, to describe how sounds are perceived and produced in terms of their duration or intensity.

In phonetics, "äänimäärillä" can refer to the duration of a sound. For instance, Finnish distinguishes between short and long vowels and consonants. The difference in length, or "äänimäärä," can change the meaning of a word. For example, "tuli" (fire) is distinct from "tuuli" (wind) due to the vowel length. Similarly, "kuka" (who) differs from "kukka" (flower) because of the consonant length.

Beyond simple duration, "äänimäärillä" can also encompass the perceived intensity or prominence of a sound within a word or utterance. This relates to concepts like stress and emphasis. While Finnish is not a stress-timed language in the same way as English, certain syllables or sounds may carry more weight or be articulated with greater force, contributing to the overall "äänimäärä."

The concept is important for understanding the phonological system of Finnish and how meaning is conveyed through subtle variations in sound. It highlights that spoken language is not just a sequence of discrete sounds but involves complex interplay of duration, intensity, and other acoustic features that contribute to a word's identity and its distinguishing characteristics.