Funktsionaalsemate

Funktsionaalsemate is an Estonian grammatical form used in written language to express “the more functional ones” when referring to a group of items. It represents the genitive plural form that accompanies a comparative adjective describing a set of nouns. In practical terms, it occurs when a speaker wants to indicate that a subset is more functional than another within the same category.

Morphology and formation: the base adjective is funktsionaalsem, meaning “more functional.” In plural, the corresponding genitive plural form becomes funktsionaalsemate, which is then used with a plural noun in genitive to form phrases such as funktsionaalsemate lahenduste (of the more functional solutions). This construction is typical of Estonian where adjectives decline for number and case to align with the noun they modify.

Usage: funktsionaalsemate is most common in formal, technical, or academic writing, particularly in contexts involving comparisons between groups of objects, features, or solutions. It enables precise articulation of relative functionality when discussing multiple items. For example: “Uuringus võrreldakse funktsionaalsemate lahenduste omadusi” (The study compares the properties of the more functional solutions).

Notes: as a grammatical form, funktsionaalsemate is a specialized feature of Estonian morphology and is not part of everyday spoken language. Its utility lies in nuanced comparative narration within professional or scholarly prose.

Related concepts: related comparative forms include funktsionaalsem (more functional) and funktsionaalsed (functional, plural). Understanding genitive plural usage is key to applying funktsionaalsemate correctly.