Sivumerkinnällä

Sivumerkinnällä is a Finnish term used in editing and publishing to indicate that certain notes, clarifications, or references should be added as marginal annotations rather than in the main text. The word combines sivu (page) and merkintä (mark, annotation) with the instrumental suffix -llä (with), literally meaning “with a margin note.” In practice, a manuscript or style guide may instruct that a particular commentary be placed sivumerkinnälle, ensuring that supplementary information appears in the margins.

The function of sivumerkinnällä is to keep the main text uncluttered while providing readers with parallel information, such as cross-references, explanations, or corrections. Marginal notes supplied this way are typically linked to specific passages by symbols or numbering and may vary in layout and prominence between publishers or editing traditions. This approach is often contrasted with inline annotations or footnotes, which appear within or at the bottom of the page.

Historically and in contemporary Finnish editorial practice, the term is mainly descriptive and appears in guidelines, templates, or discussions about marginalia rather than as a widely standardized publishing instruction. It reflects a broader concern in scholarly editing to balance readability of the primary text with access to supplementary material.

See also: marginalia, annotations, editing guidelines, manuscript preparation.