Questions & Answers about Me luimme uuden tieteellisen artikkelin.
How is the adjective tieteellinen (scientific) formed from the noun tiede (science)?
The suffix -llinen is added to the genitive stem of a word. The genitive form of tiede is tieteen. To add the suffix, we drop the final -n of the genitive, giving us tietee-, and then add -llinen to make tieteellinen. Notice how consonant gradation changes the d in tiede to a t in the stem!
Why do uusi, tieteellinen, and artikkeli all end in -n here?
They make up the total object of the sentence. Because we read the entire article (a completed action), the singular object takes the accusative case, which looks exactly like the genitive case ending in -n. The adjectives uusi (becoming uuden) and tieteellinen (becoming tieteellisen) must match the case of the noun artikkelin.
How does the word uusi (new) become uuden?
The word uusi belongs to a specific group of old Finnish words ending in -si. When adding most case endings, the -si changes to a -te- or -de- stem. For the genitive and accusative form, it becomes -de- before adding the -n, resulting in uuden.