The long consonants pp, tt, kk alternate with the corresponding short
consonants p, t, k. This is called quantitative consonant gradation.
(1) pp~ p kaappi cupboard kaapi/ssa in the cupboard
(2) tt ~ t matto mat mato/lla on the mat
(3) kk~ k kukka flower kuka/n of the flower
The short consonants generally alternate with other consonants; however, k
may sometimes be dropped altogether. These alternations are called
qualitative consonant gradation (types (4)–(16)).
(4) p ~ v tupa hut tuva/ssa in the hut
(5) Vt ~ Vd katu street kadull/a on the street
(6) ht ~ hd lähte- leave lähde/n I leave
(7) k ~ ø jalka foot jala/n of the foot
The consonant t changes to d both after a vowel, V (= a vowel which is the
same as the nearest preceding vowel), and after h. A different type of
Two important sound alternations 29
alternation takes place in the following five cases, wher either p, t, k occur
after a nasal consonant (m, n, ?), or t occurs after l or r.
(8) mp ~ mm ampu- shoot ammu/mme we shoot
(9) nt ~ nn ranta shore ranna/lla on the shore
(10) nk ~ ng [??] kenkä shoe kengä/n of the shoe
(11) lt ~ ll kulta gold kulla/n of the gold
(12) rt ~ rr parta beard parra/ssa in the beard
Alternations (4)–(7) operate when the stops are not preceded by a nasal
consonant or l or r: in such cases alternations (8)–(12) apply. In addition to
these there are also four fairly rare alternations applying to k.
(13) lke ~ lje polke- trample polje/n I trample
(14) rke ~ rje särke- break särje/n I break
(15) hke~ hje rohkene/t you dare rohjet/a (to) dare
(16) k ~ v puku dress puvu/n of the dress
Alternations (13)–(15) are very similar: in each of these k changes to j before
e. Type (16) is rare, and occurs only in a few nominals, when k is preceded
and followed by u/y.
