Metallissa

Metallissa is a Finnish linguistic term that denotes the inessive form of the noun metalli, meaning “in metal.” In Finnish grammar, the inessive case (suffix -ssa/-ssä) marks location or state inside something. Therefore metallissa is used to describe being inside metal or existing within a metallic context, typically in technical or academic texts.

Etymology and form: The core word metalli is related to other European terms for metal, such as Swedish metall or German Metall, and these ultimately trace back to Latin metallum. The inessive suffix -ssa attaches to the noun stem metall(i) to produce metallissa, signaling location within metal.

Usage: Metallissa appears most often in specialized language such as materials science, archaeology, metallurgy, or physical analyses where the location or condition of a sample or structure is described as being inside a metallic matrix. In everyday Finnish, alternative constructions are more common for expressing material or location. For example, to indicate material you would typically use other forms or phrases; metallissa is reserved for contexts where “in metal” is the precise meaning or when describing a metallic environment.

Examples:

- Näyte sijaitsee metallissa. (The sample is located in metal.)

- Tutkimus käsitteli esineen metallissa tapahtuvaa korroosiota. (The study addressed corrosion occurring in the metal of the object.)

See also: Finnish grammar, inessive case, metallia, metallista.