Question 1

The lesson topic mentions these words usually have a possessive suffix, like meneillään, but suunnitteilla doesn't have one here. Why?

Accepted Answer

These process adverbials take a possessive suffix when they refer to the subject's own active process or state. Here, the subject salajuoni (the secret plot) isn't planning anything; rather, it is being planned by an unspecified outside party. When used in this passive sense where the subject is the target of the action, the possessive suffix is usually omitted.

Question 2

How exactly is the word suunnitteilla built from the verb suunnitella?

Accepted Answer

It is built using a deverbal noun stem (a noun created from a verb, in this case suunnite-). To this stem, you add the plural marker -i- and the adessive case ending -lla. While it literally looks like it means 'on the plannings', it functions as a fixed adverbial meaning 'in the planning stage'.

Question 3

What are the parts of the compound word salajuoni?

Accepted Answer

It combines sala- (a prefix meaning secret or stealthy) and juoni (plot, scheme, or storyline). You will see the prefix sala- in many other common Finnish words, such as salasana (password) and salaisuus (a secret).

Question 4

If the plot were currently in the planning stage, would the sentence just be Salajuoni on suunnitteilla?

Accepted Answer

Exactly! To make it affirmative, you simply drop the negative verb ei and use the affirmative main verb on. The adverbial suunnitteilla stays exactly the same, as these ongoing process adverbials are fixed phrases that do not change their case ending in negative sentences.

Salajuoni ei ole vielä suunnitteilla.

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