Some Kven endings have two forms with
alternative vowels.
For instance, -la or -lä (adessive), -nu or -ny
(past participle), and -ko or -kö (question particle). The differences between are known as back
vowel or front vowel. It is important to determine which type of vowel is the
dominating one before adding any ending to the word.
The vowels /a/, /o/, and /u/ are called back
vowels, and /ä/, /ö/, and /y/ are called front vowels. Neutral vowels /e/ and
/i/ can occur together with either front or back vowels.
The determinant is based on the stem (see lesson
5) of the word. If the stem has one or more back vowels, the ending should also
have a back vowel. If the stem has no back vowels, front vowels are used
instead.
|
Back vowels |
Examples |
Definition |
Front
vowels |
Examples |
Definition |
|
engelska |
engelskassa |
In English |
kläppi |
kläpissä |
in a/the child |
|
pappi |
papila |
on father |
väsyny |
väsynyttä |
tired |
|
ajatellu |
ajatellutta |
thinkings |
Helsinki |
Helsingissä |
in Helsinki |
|
nainen |
naiselta |
from a/the women |
syöđä |
syöđhään |
they eat |
|
fotograaffi |
fotograaffitta |
without a photograph |
tirehtööri |
tirehtöörinä |
as a director |
Listen carefully to the audio: