Ilmustab

Ilmustab is a term used in some linguistic discussions to refer to a hypothetical Estonian verb form associated with evidentiality—the way a language marks how the speaker knows something. In those analyses, ilmustab is described as a present-tense form that encodes the act of making information publicly visible or demonstrable to an audience; in English it is often rendered as “illustrates” or “reveals,” depending on context. The form is discussed as originating from a root related to appearance or manifestation, and it is sometimes linked to a suffix pattern found in Estonian verbs that signals a propositional action.

Etymology and form: The proposed root ilm- is connected to meaning related to appearance or making visible. Because ilmustab is not universally standardized across grammars, different accounts may interpret its morphology and exact usage in varying ways. Some treatments present ilmustab as a theoretical device rather than a fixed grammatical category within the language.

Usage and status: Ilmustab appears primarily in theoretical or experimental discussions about how languages encode the speaker’s relation to information. It does not appear as a standard entry in most contemporary Estonian grammars, and many linguists treat it as a provisional concept awaiting broader consensus. Related terms include ilmustada (to illustrate or reveal) and ilmutus (manifestation, appearance). See also evidentiality, epistemic modality.