kättä

[irnbru]

In one of my books I have an example of partitive kättä = the hand (partitive) I don't really understand where this would be used though anyone have an example?

[rob34]

You're thinking too hard!

You'd use partitive for the same reason you'd use partitive with any other word.

Miehellä on kaksi kättä.

[irnbru]

You're thinking too hard!.

Learning Finnish does that to you. Thanks.

[Jukka Aho]

There’s an idiom “vain lämmintä kättä”.

On se niin mukavaa saada työstään tällaistakin kiitosta, siis ihan oikeaa rahaa, eikä vain lämmintä kättä.
Palkintona toisesta sijasta oli siis vain lämmintä kättä.
Kunnille hallitus on tähän mennessä tarjoillut vain lämmintä kättä.

...meaning that the only thing they offered was some “warm hand”, for the purposes of compassionate handshaking and moral support, instead of something more tangible, such as money or resources or extending your employment or a favorable decision in some matter or the other. In a way, the word käsi has turned into an uncountable noun in this expression, as if you were talking about milk or water.

[sammy]

Also, there's the expression antaa kättä - to shake hands (think like 'offering your hand for someone to shake')... it's a bit archaic though. Lyödä kättä or paiskata kättä mean approximately the same, but these often imply a deal. Similarly: kättä päälle = "let's shake on it" - the old "sealed with a handshake agreement"... but, so as not to make things too simple (it's Finnish, remember ) lyödä kättä can also mean "to join/meet/coexist"... missä perinteet ja innovattiivisuus lyövät kättä = where traditions and innovation meet.

Kättä pidempää is another idiom - for situations where you'd need something more than just your 'bare hands' (either literally or figuratively), but nothing's available so you'll need to get along with what you've been given For example - koetin vääntää ovea auki, mutta mitään kättä pidempää ei ollut saatavilla.

[Jukka Aho]

but, so as not to make things too simple (it's Finnish, remember :) ) lyödä kättä can also mean "to join/meet/coexist"... missä perinteet ja innovattiivisuus lyövät kättä = where traditions and innovation meet.

Isn’t this one based on the handshake metaphor, too? Traditions and innovation “shake hands” with each other, or if not that, give high fives to each other? Or maybe it could refer to some other playful activity where people clap hands together with each other; “play together” in some fruitful and productive way.

(You have an extra “t” in your innovatiivisuus, by the way.)

[tuulen]

Thank you, everybody. In Kielikoulu I continue to learn.

[irnbru]

Good stuff. Thanks all.

[sammy]

but, so as not to make things too simple (it's Finnish, remember ) lyödä kättä can also mean "to join/meet/coexist"... missä perinteet ja innovattiivisuus lyövät kättä = where traditions and innovation meet.

Isn’t this one based on the handshake metaphor, too? Traditions and innovation “shake hands” with each other, or if not that, give high fives to each other? Or maybe it could refer to some other playful activity where people clap hands together with each other; “play together” in some fruitful and productive way.

I guess it does, hadn't thought of it. Quite possible!

(You have an extra “t” in your innovatiivisuus, by the way.)

Hertsumarepale! Too many cups of T, the attention slips...