Why is K often percieved as in irregular marker in the Finnish language grammar?
In the Finnish language, the letter "k" is often perceived as an irregular marker because it can sometimes cause changes in the stem of a word when inflected. This irregularity occurs in various grammatical forms, such as the genitive and comitative case.
For example, in the genitive case, which is used to show possession or belonging, "k" can cause consonant gradation (also known as consonant mutation) in the stem of the word. Consonant gradation is a phonological phenomenon where certain consonants undergo changes in certain grammatical contexts. When a word undergoes consonant gradation in the genitive case, "k" can change the consonant that precedes it, resulting in an irregular pattern compared to the word's base form.
Similarly, in the comitative case, which is used to express accompanying or being together with someone or something, "k" can also induce changes in the stem of the word. This can lead to an irregular pattern of inflection as compared to the base form.
Overall, the irregularity associated with "k" in Finnish grammar arises from its ability to trigger consonant gradation and cause changes in the word stem during inflection, making it appear as an irregular marker.
The perception of K as an irregular marker in Finnish grammar is because it undergoes certain changes when added to words or word stems. These changes are not always predictable based on the rules of Finnish grammar, which can make it seem irregular. Here are a few examples:
1. Possessive suffix: When adding a possessive suffix to a word ending in K, the K often changes to T. For example, the word "pöytä" (table) becomes "pöydän" (of the table) instead of "pöytäkän".
2. Plural marker: In the plural form, K can change to T or disappear completely. For example, "kynä" (pen) becomes "kynät" (pens) instead of "kynäkät", and "laukku" (bag) becomes "laukut" (bags) instead of "laukkuket".
3. Partitive case marker: In the partitive case, which is used to express an indefinite amount or a partial amount of something, K can change to TT or HT or disappear completely. For example, "kukka" (flower) becomes "kukkaa" (flower, partitive) instead of "kukkakka", "kirja" (book) becomes "kirjaa" (book, partitive) instead of "kirjakka", and "kissa" (cat) becomes "kissaa" (cat, partitive) instead of "kissakka".
These changes can be seen as irregular because they do not follow a specific pattern. However, they are considered regular within the Finnish language and are part of the standard grammar rules.