Breakdown of Olipa painostus kuinka kova tahansa, päätoimittaja kunnioittaa lähdesuojaa silti.
olla
to be
kunnioittaa
to respect
kuinka
how
kova
strong (intense, hard)
silti
anyway / nevertheless
tahansa
any / -ever
lähdesuoja
source protection
painostus
pressure (coercion)
päätoimittaja
editor-in-chief
Questions & Answers about Olipa painostus kuinka kova tahansa, päätoimittaja kunnioittaa lähdesuojaa silti.
The English translation says "however hard the pressure IS", so why does the Finnish sentence use the past tense verb oli in olipa?
In this specific concessive structure, Finnish frequently uses the past indicative form (oli) or the conditional (olisi) to express a hypothetical or generalized present state. Adding the emphatic clitic -pa creates the meaning "be it" or "whether it is".
How does the word order work in the clause Olipa painostus kuinka kova tahansa?
The rule for this concessive structure is that the verb with the -pa or -pä clitic must be the very first word. The subject (painostus) usually comes right after the verb, which separates the verb from the interrogative phrase (kuinka kova) and the word tahansa.
Why is lähdesuojaa (source protection) in the partitive case?
It is the direct object of the verb kunnioittaa (to respect). Verbs expressing feelings, attitudes, or continuous abstract actions are partitive verbs, meaning their object must always take the partitive case.
Is the word silti strictly required here, given that the first clause already establishes the "however" condition?
It is not grammatically mandatory, but it is highly natural and common. Using silti (nevertheless / still) in the main clause reinforces the concessive clause, strongly emphasizing that the editor's actions remain unchanged despite the pressure.
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