Erottamatta

Erottamatta is a Finnish adverb derived from the verb erottaa, meaning to separate or distinguish. The word expresses a lack of differentiation or separation in a described context, roughly translating to “without distinguishing” or “without separating.” It is used to describe situations where boundaries, categories, or features are not made or are not noticeable.

Etymology and form: Erottamalla comes from erottaa with the common negative adverbial suffix -matta (or -mättä), which yields a form used to indicate performing an action without doing something. In practice, erottamatta functions as a modifier that characterizes a state or process as not yielding distinct parts or distinctions. The form is most common in formal or analytical Finnish, including linguistic or data-analytic language.

Usage: The term appears primarily in linguistic, methodological, or descriptive writing, where researchers talk about classifications, judgments, or measurements that do not discriminate between items. In everyday language, the expression is possible but less frequent; speakers may use it to note that two items are indistinguishable under a given criterion. It should not be confused with erottamaton, which means inseparable, or with erottua, which means to stand out.

Examples:

- Kaksi ryhmää olivat erottamatta toisistaan käyttämillämme kriteereillä.

- Päätelmien mukaan ilmiö oli erottamatta, eikä eroa havaittu.

See also: erottaminen, erottamaton, erottuva.