# defining stems in -s ending nouns



## plmk

Is there a way to forsee what is the stem of a _-s_ ending noun? I've noticed that there are at least three different ways of forming it, e.g.:
kirjallisuus - kirjallisuuden
lounas - lounaan
katos - katoksen
How do I decide which one applies to the noun in question? Or do I have to memorize the nouns and their stems?


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## DrWatson

You don't have to memorize all of them. Here are a couple of rules that should come in handy:

- Nouns ending in _-uus_ or _-yys_ are always inflected like *kirjallisuus : kirjallisuuden*: _ulottuvuus_ 'dimension', _tarkkuus_ 'accuracy', _etäisyys_ 'distance', _tyhmyys_ 'stupidity'
- Nouns ending in a consonant followed by_ -os_, _-ös_, _-us_ or _-ys_ are always inflected like *katos : katoksen*: _laitos_ 'facility',_ kerros_ 'floor; layer', _riipus_ 'pendant', _käytös_ 'behaviour', _päätös_ 'decision', _päällys_ 'surface, covering'. This group also includes the nouns _teos_ 'a work (of art or literature)' and _seos _'mixture, compound'
- Nouns ending in _-eus_ or _-eys_ are always inflected like *kirjallisuus*: _kauneus : kauneuden_ 'beauty', _ylpeys : ylpeyden_ 'pride'
- Nouns ending in _-aus, -äys, _or_ -ous_ can be either way. However, if the noun's base is a verb, i.e. if it has been formed from a verb, it inflects like *katos*:_ rakkaus : rakkauden_ 'love', _talous : talouden_ 'economy' vs. _loukkaus : loukkauksen_ 'insult' (< _loukata_ 'to insult'), _tarjous : tarjouksen_ 'offer' (< _tarjota _'to offer')
- Nouns ending in _-ius, -ias _and_ -iäs_ are mostly inflected like *kirjallisuus*. Exceptions are _hius : hiuksen_ and_ iskias : iskiaksen_ 'sciatica'
- Nouns ending in a consonant followed by _-as, -äs, -es,_ or _-is_ can be either way: _kangas : kankaan_ 'fabric', _seiväs : seipään_ 'javelin, spear', _kaunis : kauniin_ 'beautiful' vs._ lihas : lihaksen_ 'muscle', _teräs : teräksen_ 'steel', _juures : juureksen_ 'root vegetable', _turkis : turkiksen_ 'fur (clothing)'. Also includes words _äes : äkeen_ 'harrow' and _ies : ikeen_ 'yoke'


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## Gavril

> - Nouns ending in a consonant followed by _-as, -äs, -es,_ or _-is_ can be either way: _kangas : kankaan_ 'fabric', _seiväs : seipään_ 'javelin, spear', _kaunis : kauniin_ 'beautiful' vs._ lihas : lihaksen_ 'muscle', _teräs : teräksen_ 'steel', _juures : juureksen_ 'root vegetable', _turkis : turkiksen_ 'fur (clothing)'. Also includes words _äes : äkeen_ 'harrow' and _ies : ikeen_ 'yoke'



For this group of nouns/adjectives, would it be accurate to say that all of the -ks-stems are derived from other nouns and adjectives? E.g., lihas<liha, turkis<turkki ("fur"), juures<juuri, etc.

I'm not sure about the origin of kannas "isthmus" (gen. kannaksen), but it looks like it could come from kanta "base" (I don't have my etymological dictionary with me at the moment).


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## DrWatson

Many of them are but some are unclear or have become opaque. For instance, _ilves  ilveksen), jänis  jäniksen) _and_ varis  variksen) _don't seem to have any discernible base noun. Also, new loanwords and colloquial and slang words derived with the suffix _-is_ are _-ks_-stems: _tennis_, _anis_ 'anise', _anjovis_ 'anchovy'; _roskis_ 'litter bin' (< _roska_ 'litter, rubbish'), _julkkis_ 'celebrity' (< _julki(nen)_ 'public'), _depis_ 'depression', _futis ~ fudis_ 'football'


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## plmk

Thank you a lot for your answers!


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