Saturday, August 12, 2023

How to use the Finnish word 'kainalo' (an armpit)

Soon about kainalo, but first this: 


This blog is eleven years old! 


I published my first post on August 5 in 2012, when my daughter was a tiny baby and I was on maternity leave from my job as a Finnish teacher in a vocational school and as a private teacher. I was thinking about some grammar table that I had on my laptop files (I wasn't using Google Drive until I learned about if from an American Skype student in January 2014), but wasn't able to share it with any students. I had also read a book called The Happiness Project, which encouraged to start a blog because "mastering a new technology boosts happiness." I thought about the name for a while, probably googled some platforms, and ended up starting a blog on Google's Blogger. And here we are.

(This is my very first post: https://randomfinnishlesson.blogspot.com/2012/08/tehda.html I have edited it at some point, and I should edit it again.) 

I'm happy that I chose the name Random Finnish Lesson, because it is very stress free, letting me publish whatever and whenever. I sometimes edit old posts and try to make sure that all the links work.

Lately, I've realized that I can take example sentences directly from the easy Finnish books that I've written, and perhaps someone will want to read the whole book.

The word kainalo is an armpit, but we also use it to mean a larger area under your arm in.
I searched for kainalo in a couple of novels, and this is what I found:


'Kainalo' in cuddling someone in your arms  



- Sari on hieno nainen.
Olen niin onnellinen sen kanssa,
ja meillä on hyvä olla täällä Ronnassa, Fadi sanoo
ja ottaa Sarin kainaloonsa.

- Sari is a fine woman.
I'm so happy with her,
and it's good for us here in Ronna, says Fadi
and takes Sari into his arms. 




Kun palattiin takaisin sisälle,
Paavo ja Terttu halusivat katsoa elokuvan.
Tehtiin popcornia
ja Enni käpertyi kainalooni.

When we came back inside,
Paavo and Terttu wanted to watch a movie.
We made popcorn
and Enni nestled up in my arm. 


'Kainalo' in carrying things under your arm



Istuttiin rauhassa lauteilla,
kun saunan ovi yhtäkkiä aukesi
ja Pihla astui sisään.
Sillä oli ämpäri kainalossaan
ja se oli pukeutunut valkoiseen kaapuun,
joka muuttui saunan kosteudessa läpinäkyväksi.

We sat peacefully on the sauna benches,
when suddenly the door opened
and Pihla walked in.
She had a bucket under her arm
and she was dressed in a white robe,
which turned transparent in the sauna humidity. 



- Odottakaa, minä tulen sittenkin mukaan! Veera huusi.
Sillä oli viltti kainalossa
ja matkalaukku toisessa kädessä.

- Wait, I'm coming along after all! Veera shouted.
She had a blanket under her arm
and a suitcase in the other hand. 


'Kainalo' as the body part under your arm



- Pidä kiinni! Siiri huusi ja tuli lähemmäs.
Aili havahtui hereille
ja näki, kuinka Siiri otti häntä kiinni kainaloista
ja auttoi ylös.
- En minä sinua tänne jätä, Siiri sanoi. 

- Hold on! Siiri shouted and came closer.
Aili woke up
and saw how Siiri grabbed her under her arms
and helped her up.
- I won't leave you here, Siiri said. 






About the author of Random Finnish Lesson: 

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please read more in www.linktr.ee/hannamannikkolahti and follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new.  


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