Osallistujilta

Osallistujilta is the elative plural form of the Finnish noun osallistuja, meaning participant. The elative case, expressed with the suffix -lta/-ltä, indicates origin or source, so osallistujilta is used to indicate that something comes from or is provided by the participants. It is commonly found in research, surveys, and reports to attribute information, data, or feedback to the participants rather than to the investigator or organization.

In use, the form appears when referencing material or responses that originate from the participants. For example, Kyselyn osallistujilta saatiin yhteensä 120 vastausta, meaning that 120 responses were obtained from the participants. Osallistujilta saatu palaute can denote feedback received from the participants and used to inform analysis or planning. The construction is productive in phrases such as osallistujilta kerätty tieto or osallistujilta tuotettu aineisto, all referring to data or material sourced from participants.

Osallistujilta is distinct from other participant-related forms in Finnish. The allative form osallistujille means “to the participants,” while the genitive osallistujien or the possessive form osallistujien tuottama tieto refers to something belonging to or associated with the participants. Understanding the elative form helps clarify source attribution in academic, survey, and organizational contexts.

Etymologically, the word combines osallistuja with the elative suffix, forming a case that signals origin. While not a standalone concept beyond grammar, osallistujilta is a common, practical tool for expressing that content or data originates with the participants.