Attribuutina

Attribuutina is a term used in linguistic descriptions of Estonian grammar to denote the function of a noun phrase as an attribute within a sentence. It is formed from the noun attribuut (attribute) plus the translative suffix -na, yielding attribuutina, meaning “as an attribute.”

Morphology and usage: The -na translative indicates a shift into a state or role, and in Estonian it is used to mark a noun phrase that functions as an attribute of another element. It is typically found in descriptive or theoretical grammars, dictionaries, and typological discussions rather than in everyday speech.

Function: When attribuutina is used, the following expression is interpreted as being in the role of an attribute for the head noun. This construction helps to classify or describe the head noun’s properties or relations from the perspective of its attributive status, rather than as a simple property or predicate.

Cross-linguistic notes: The concept of marking “as X” with a case- or form-based expression is common in Finnic and other languages. In Finnish, for example, similar meanings are expressed with forms such asominaisuuttena (as a feature). While attribuutina is specific to Estonian usage, it illustrates how languages encode nominal roles through case forms.

Relation to linguistics: Attribuutina is of interest primarily for grammars that analyze Estonian attributive structure and for cross-linguistic studies on how languages encode the role of nouns as attributes. It is a specialized term rather than a widely used everyday construction.