Tarkoituksilla

Tarkoituksilla is the plural adessive form of the Finnish noun tarkoitus, meaning purpose or aim. It is used to refer to multiple motives, aims, or intents behind actions, plans, or devices. The form highlights that several different aims are being considered, contrasted, or served.

Grammatically, the base noun is tarkoitus. The plural nominative is tarkoitukset, and the plural adessive is tarkoituksilla (on/with the purposes). The singular adessive is tarkoituksella (with the purpose). The adessive case in Finnish conveys location or means, so tarkoituksilla often translates to “with various purposes” or “for different aims” in English.

Usage and nuance: Tarkoituksilla is typically used in analytical, descriptive, or evaluative contexts where authors distinguish between different motives behind actions, policies, or proposals. It emphasizes intent rather than the mere function of an object. In contrast, singular forms like tarkoituksella or the phrase tarkoitus focus more on a single aim or general purpose. The plural form helps articulate complexity in motivations, intentions, or strategic reasoning.

Examples:

- Ohjelmistoa testattiin erilaisten tarkoituksilla.

- Erilaisilla tarkoituksilla toimiva ohjelmisto voidaan räätälöidä eri käyttäjäryhmille.

Notes: Tarkoituksilla is appropriate when discussing multiple aims or motives. When referring to a single objective, use tarkoituksella or fokuse more directly on the single purpose rather than plural purposes.

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