Kappaleena

Kappaleena is the essive case form of the Finnish noun kappale, which means “piece,” “part,” or “section,” and, in a musical context, “a piece” or “song.” The essive case expresses a temporary state or role, roughly translating to “as a piece/part” in English. It is used to describe how something functions or is perceived in a given situation or time, rather than to indicate transformation.

Morphology and contrasts: kappaleena is formed by adding the essive suffix -na/-nä to the noun stem kappale. This form is distinct from the translative form kappaleeksi, which marks a change into something (for example, “into a piece” or “into a part”). The essive (kappaleena) communicates a state or role, such as “as a piece” or “in the role of a piece,” rather than a change of state.

Usage: In Finnish, kappaleena is commonly used when discussing components within a larger work, parts of a document, or roles within a scene or event. In music or literature, kappale can mean a piece or section, and kappaleena refers to that unit in the sense of “as a piece.” In more everyday speech, speakers might opt for other constructions, and the translative form kappaleeksi is used when emphasizing transformation.

Example: Käytä tätä kappaleena osana raporttia. (Use this as a section of the report.)