# keino- / teko-



## Gavril

Can both these words be prefixed to another word to indicate the "artificial" version of something? Is there a difference between the meaning imparted by each one?

For ex., would the following be equivalent?

_keinolumi_ / _tekolumi_ "artificial snow"

_keinosydän_ / _tekosydän_ "artificial heart"

_keinoratkaisu_ / _tekoratkaisu_ "artificial solution"
(E.g., _Tämä ei ole luonnollinen ratkaisu ongelmaan vaan keino-/tekoratkaisu, sillä ei se tartu ongelman pohjimmaiseen syyhyn._)

Kiitos


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## JukkaT

_Keino-_ is used when there is some kind of action (keinokastelu, keinolumetus...) and in artificial devices (keinosydän, keinomunuainen...).
In other cases it's better use _teko-_ (tekonurmi, tekolumi, tekohammas...).
So in your examples:

_Tekolumi_
_Keinosydän_
And in the last one, Í would say _*keinotekoinen* ratkaisu_.


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## hui

> _Keino-_ is used when there is some kind of action (keinokastelu, keinolumetus...) and in artificial devices (keinosydän, keinomunuainen...).
> In other cases it's better use _teko-_ (tekonurmi, tekolumi, tekohammas...).
> So in your examples:
> 
> _Tekolumi_
> _Keinosydän_
> And in the last one, Í would say _*keinotekoinen* ratkaisu_.


You are partly correct.

_Teko-_ is used if the device or material replaces (= is put in place of) the original.
_Keino-_ is used if it only functions like the original. 

_tekosydän = _artificial heart
_tekomunuainen_ = artificial kidney_
tekolumi = _artificial snow_
tekokuitu = _synthetic fiber_
tekonahka = _imitation leather

_tekolumetus = lumetus tekolumella_
_keinokastelu = keinotekoinen kastelu_ (with normal water)_

keinomunuainen = dialyysilaite_ = dialysis machine
_keinovalo_ = artificial light
_keinoemo_ = incubator


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## Gavril

hui said:


> You are partly correct.
> 
> _Teko-_ is used if the device or material replaces (= is put in place of) the original.
> _Keino-_ is used if it only functions like the original.
> [...]
> _
> 
> keinomunuainen = dialyysilaite_ = dialysis machine
> _keinovalo_ = artificial light
> _keinoemo_ = incubator



Aren't all of these things used "in place of" the originals, to some extent? A dialysis machine is used instead of the kidneys, an artificial light is used instead of the natural light of the sun, and so on. (Then again, except for _keinomunuainen_, none of them replace the originals at all times and places.)

What would be the difference between _tekomunuainen_ and _keinomunuainen_?


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## hui

> Aren't all of these things used "in place of" the originals, to some extent? A dialysis machine is used instead of the kidneys, an artificial light is used instead of the natural light of the sun, and so on. (Then again, except for _keinomunuainen_, none of them replace the originals at all times and places.)
> 
> What would be the difference between _tekomunuainen_ and _keinomunuainen_?


I meant literally "in the physical place of" the original. _Tekomunuainen_ is (or would be) a device that is surgically inserted into the body while_keinomunuainen_ is the dialysis machine used in the hospital.

_Keinovalo_ is produced by a lamp which  does not physically replace the sun but only the action of producing light_. Keino- _is often followed by an action like_ -valaistus (< valaista)_ or _-hedelmöitys (< hedelmöittää)._

There are some more or less arbitrary exceptions to the action "rule" like _tekohengitys_ = (mouth-to-mouth) resuscitation and _tekolumetus_ (because of _tekolumi)_.

OK, _tekosydän_ acts like a real heart does and it is put in its physical place. But _tekokukka _does not act like the real flower (biologically) so why is it not called _keinokukka_ instead? Because the artificial flower is not meant to mimic biology but beauty.

Confused? Maybe we need some _tekoäly _(= artificial intelligence).


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## Ригель

I'd just like to add that, while not having immediate obvious rules to justify their usage, these prefixes do carry certain connotations with them. Namely, _teko _would be best translated as _fake _or_ made up, _while _keino_ would be something like _a means_. Thus, _keino _sounds somewhat more uncolloquial and official than _teko_, and implies the aforementioned sence of process, but they can be both translated as _artificial _depending on the context.


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