Breakdown of Kelloseppä tarvitsee tarkemman suurennuslasin, kun hän korjaa tätä mekanismia.
tämä
this
hän
he / she
tarvita
to need
kun
when (conjunction)
korjata
to fix
tarkka
careful (precise, exact)
kelloseppä
the watchmaker
mekanismi
the mechanism
suurennuslasi
the magnifying glass
Questions & Answers about Kelloseppä tarvitsee tarkemman suurennuslasin, kun hän korjaa tätä mekanismia.
How could we rewrite the second half of this sentence using the translative of purpose (finaalirakenne)?
You can replace the subordinate clause kun hän korjaa tätä mekanismia with the translative infinitive structure: korjatakseen tätä mekanismia (in order to repair this mechanism). This attaches the translative case marker -kse- (from -ksi) and the possessive suffix -en to the first infinitive of the verb.
Why is the first object suurennuslasin in the genitive-like accusative, while the second object mekanismia is in the partitive?
The verb tarvita (to need) typically takes a total object, so the magnifying glass gets the -n ending. However, korjata (to repair) takes a partitive object here because the action is ongoing and not yet completed; he is in the process of repairing it.
What is the base form of tarkemman and how is it formed?
The base adjective is tarkka (precise). To make it comparative, it takes the -mpi suffix. Because it's a total object, it needs the -n case ending. Adding this ending closes the final syllable, which triggers consonant gradation changing the comparative stem -mpa- into -mma-, resulting in tarkemman.
Is kelloseppä a compound word?
Yes, it literally translates to 'clock smith' or 'watch smith'. The word seppä (smith) is traditionally used in Finnish for metalworkers, but it is applied broadly to various craftsmen who build or repair intricate mechanical things.
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