Breakdown of Isokokoiset mehiläiset pörräävät suojapuvuissammekin.
mehiläinen
bee
isokokoinen
large-sized
pörrätä
to buzz
suojapuku
the protective suit
Questions & Answers about Isokokoiset mehiläiset pörräävät suojapuvuissammekin.
How do all the suffixes in suojapuvuissammekin stack together?
This word is a perfect example of Finnish suffix ordering: Stem + Plural + Case + Possessive + Clitic. We start with the stem suojapuvu- (the weak grade of suojapuku). First, we add the plural marker -i-, then the inessive case ending -ssa- ('in'). Next comes the possessive suffix -mme ('our'), and finally the enclitic particle -kin ('even' or 'also'). All together: suojapuvu + i + ssa + mme + kin.
Why does the base word suojapuku change to suojapuvu- before the endings are added?
This is due to consonant gradation. The ending -ssa creates a closed syllable, which forces the preceding strong consonant k in puku to weaken to v. Remember that in the plural, the plural -i- is added between the stem and the case ending, but the consonant gradation is still triggered by the case ending closing the syllable, giving us the stem suojapuvu-.
What happens to words ending in -nen like mehiläinen and isokokoinen when they become plural?