Asiantuntijasta

Asiantuntijasta is the elative singular form of the Finnish noun asiantuntija, meaning an expert. In Finnish grammar the elatiivi (the -sta/-stä ending) expresses origin, source, or starting point, and can also mark the topic or subject of discussion under certain verbs. Thus asiantuntijasta denotes “from an expert,” “of an expert,” or “about an expert,” depending on the construction.

The form is commonly used when the sentence refers to information, opinions, or topics related to an expert. It is frequent in journalistic and scientific writing, for example in phrases such as keskustelimme asiantuntijasta (we discussed an expert) or kirjoitin artikkelin asiantuntijasta (I wrote an article about an expert). It can also indicate the source of information, as in tiedot asiantuntijasta (information from an expert). In contrast, phrases like asiantuntijan mukaan (according to the expert) use the genitive case and convey attribution rather than a topic or source expressed with the elative.

Nuances and related forms: as with other elative forms, asiantuntijasta is used with verbs that govern topics, sources, or origins. When indicating attribution or direct quotation, Finnish more commonly uses asiantuntijan mukaan or other constructions with possessive forms. The elative form is not a fixed label for a person but a grammatical case, and its use can vary with style and register.

See also: asiantuntija, Finnish noun cases, elatiivi.