Rannikolta

Rannikolta is a Finnish word that functions as the elative form of the noun rannikko, meaning “from the coast.” The elative suffix -lta (or -ltä after vowel harmony) marks origin or starting point, so rannikolta literally translates to “from the coast.”

In usage, rannikolta answers the question mista? “from where?” and is commonly used with verbs of motion or origin. It can describe where something comes from, or the starting point of an action or process. Examples include: Laiva palasi rannikolta. (The ship returned from the coast.) Tuuli puhaltaa rannikolta. (The wind blows from the coast.) Rannikolta kotoisin oleva tarina is a stylistic expression that can appear in literary contexts to evoke a coastal setting.

The term is standard in everyday Finnish and widely understood in both spoken and written language. It does not designate a place by itself, but rather a direction or source related to the coast. Rannikolta can also appear in compound or phrase forms, such as rannikolta käsin, to emphasize doing something from the coastline or coastward perspective.

See also: Finnish grammar, elative case, rannikko, northern and coastal terminology in Finnish literature.