Lainatulla

Lainatulla is a Finnish term that appears primarily in formal bibliographic, archival, and museum contexts to indicate that an item is on loan from another lender. It is less common in everyday speech, where lainassa (on loan) or lainattuna (borrowed) are more typical.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from the verb lainata (to lend or borrow) and the locative suffix -lla, which in Finnish signals a state or location. In catalog descriptions, lainatulla functions as a descriptor of the item’s current status within a loan arrangement. Because it is not a standard everyday expression, its usage is more restricted to institutions and specialized documentation.

Usage: In practice, items in collections may be described with status notes such as lainatulla in metadata, catalogs, or exhibition labels. The form is commonly found alongside information about the lender, loan period, and terms of return. Due to its relatively limited usage outside formal records, glossaries and style guides often prefer lainassa or lainattuna for general communications.

Relation to other terms: Lainaa is the act of lending, while lainansa and lainattuna describe conditions related to being borrowed or loaned. Lainatulla should be distinguished from these more common expressions to avoid misinterpretation in everyday language.

See also: lainaus (quotation or borrowing), laina (loan), lainanantaja (lender), lainasto (catalog or listings related to loans).