-ssa

See also: ssa, SSA, and ssą

Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-ssa, from earlier *-s-na, from *-s- (internal locative infix, of uncertain origin but possibly from the lative ending *-s (traditionally held theory), from Proto-Uralic *sɜ or a contraction of Proto-Uralic *sekä (“inside, interior”)) + *-na (locative case suffix). Cognate with Erzya -со (-so), -сэ (-se).

Suffix

-ssa (front vowel harmony variant -ssä)

1. The marker of inessive case; in, inside

   talo > talossa sg, taloissa pl

   metsä > metsässä sg, metsissä pl

   1. covered in

      Ja nyt putket ovat tyystin öljyssä.

      And now the pipes are covered in oil, through and through.

      Peruna on aivan iduissa.

      The potato is totally covered in sprouts.

Greenlandic

Suffix

-ssa (v-v^?, truncative^?)

1. Marks the future tense.
   • 1992, "[timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=269791&pageId=3833037&lang=da Usuni kipigaa]", Atuagagdliutit

     Nammineq tissassarluni inersinnaannginnerluni anisuualu qanoq ililluni anisassava?

     I wonder if he will be unable to stimulate himself to an orgasm, and how will the semen leave?

2. Marks logical necessity.

Further reading

• Vestgrønlands Grammatik, p. 128, F.A.J. Nielsen, 2014
• Vestgrønlands Grammatik, p. 130, F.A.J. Nielsen, 2014