iâm still not over the linguistic miracle that is the Finnish expression ânoniâ and its variations
NOni (emphasis on the first syllable): âwell now youâve done it, good jobâ meaning youâve majorly fucked up
noNIÂ (emphasis on the last syllable): âI TOLD YOU DIDNâT Iâ meaning I totally was right and this argument is over
noni (literally no emphasis): âAnywayâ or âI need to rearrange my thoughts, give me a secâ
NOniin (emphasis on the first syllable): âi admit my defeat you were rightâ meaning it definitely answers the noni above
noNIINÂ (emphasis on the last syllable): âletâs get startedâ or âokay anyway letâs continueâ
NONni (emphasis on the first syllable): âaw, that sucksâ
nonNIÂ (emphasis on the last syllable): âwithout further ado, letâs get startedâ, usually after a long wait before a lengthy speech/presentation
nonni (again no emphasis): âyouâre such a disappointmentâ
nonnnnnni (the length of the -nn- defines the meaning): âthatâs too badâ or âi told you soâ or âwhy would you drop the family heirloom vase it was literally worth 500k eurosâ
No. Nii. (the pause between no and nii defines the meaning): âyea, just like I was sayingâ or âand thatâs about all I know about this issueâ or âokay youâre rightâ or âhold on i need a moment to figure what to say nextâ
noniii (the length of the -ii defines the meaning): âah, itâs finally workingâ or âIâm not so sure about that oneâ, or âwell I guess youâre right but consider the following:â or âah, buckle your seat belts, the rideâs about to beginâ
no NIINÂ (sometimes no is almost swallowed and it sounds like ânNNIIâ): âfinally finishedâ, usually after a lengthy speech/presentation
no nii-IHÂ (if you forget the singsong tone this wonât work): âthatâs what iâve literally been trying to say for the past three hoursâ or âi know right ughâ
no niiii-i (the last -i is really short and sort of fades into the void of eternity, probably the most passive-aggressive word in the entire Finnish language): âi fucking agreeâ or âyeah tell me about itâ after a very negative discussion, in which you usually complain about someone or something
NONIHÂ (only mothers know how to say this one): âdo this or so god help meâ or âitâs six am on a Saturday morning and youâre about to clean up the entire house and the neighbourâs house tooâ
NOHNIÂ (everyone driving a car naturally aces this one): âfucking. drive. you. slow. ass. slugâ or âitâs fucking green itâs been green for 84 yearsâ or âplease donât fucking hit me pleaseâ or âhow the hell did that one even get a licenceâ