# tunnus / merkintä



## Gavril

One dictionary gives both _tunnus _and _merkintä _for the meaning "marking". Are the words interchangeable in this meaning?

K


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## Grumpy Old Man

Without context, I can only say that they probably are often interchangeable but one or the other may be preferred or at least more common in some cases. Two words are extremely seldom 100 per cent synonymous in any language.


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## sakvaka

Grumpy Old Man said:


> Without context, etc.



I agree with GOM. 

EDIT: Google gives you some examples, too.


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## Gavril

sakvaka said:


> I agree with GOM.
> 
> EDIT: Google gives you some examples, too.



I'll try to be more specific. Which of the two words (jos jompikumpi) sounds more correct in the following sentences? :

_Autopeltiin jäi tunnus/merkintä pudonneesta kivestä._

_Simpukankuorella on keltaisia tunnuksia/merkintöjä.

En tiedä, onko mitään merkitystä tuolla paperiarkille kirjoitetulla tunnuksella/merkinnällä.


_KVK


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## Grumpy Old Man

I would say:
_Autopeltiin / Auton peltiin jäi *jälki *pudonneesta kivestä

_The second sentence is fine if you mean that someone has *purposely* made these markings. _Simpukankuore*ssa* _would also be correct.

The last sentence is fine too. Many people would change the word order:
_En tiedä, onko tuolla paperiarkille kirjoitetulla tunnuksella/merkinnällä mitään merkitystä._


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## Gavril

Grumpy Old Man said:


> I would say:
> _Autopeltiin / Auton peltiin jäi *jälki *pudonneesta kivestä
> 
> _The second sentence is fine if you mean that someone has *purposely* made these markings. _Simpukankuore*ssa* _would also be correct.



What would you say if the markings were naturally part of the shell?


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## Grumpy Old Man

Gavril said:


> What would you say if the markings were naturally part of the shell?


_Simpukan kuoressa on keltaisia kuvioita_ would sound good to my ear, especially if the markings weren't just very small dots. For small dots I would say _keltaisia täpliä._


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## sakvaka

Grumpy Old Man said:


> _Simpukan kuoressa on keltaisia kuvioita_ would sound good to my ear, especially if the markings weren't just very small dots. For small dots I would say _keltaisia täpliä._



Or _raitoja_/_viiruja_ if they are lines...


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