Kuvallisissa

Kuvallisissa is a Finnish adjective form meaning “pictorial” or “illustrative” when used with plural nouns in the inessive case. It is derived from kuva, “picture,” combined with the suffix -llinen, which marks a quality. The form kuvallisissa specifically appears when modifying a plural noun in the inessive, such as kuvallisissa kirjoissa (“in illustrated books”) or kuvallisissa esityksissä (“in pictorial presentations”).

Usage and nuance: Kuvallinen as a concept is used in discussions of visual media, art, education, and publishing to indicate a content emphasis on imagery rather than text. The phrase kuvallisissa can convey that a work or format relies on images to convey meaning, whether in picture books, graphic novels, magazines, or other visual communications. It often contrasts with textual or verbal forms and can describe a style, approach, or mode of presentation that prioritizes imagery.

Notes: The term is relatively specialized and more common in Finnish-language criticism or academic writing than in everyday speech. Its meaning is transparent to speakers familiar with kuva- compounds, reflecting Finnish morphology in which adjectives agree with the noun in number and case. As a standalone term, kuvallisissa typically appears as part of a larger phrase describing a visual or image-based context.