Tavallisempien

Tavallisempien is a Finnish inflected form derived from the adjective tavallinen, meaning ordinary or common. It is the genitive plural of the comparative adjective tavallisempia (more ordinary). The form is used when the noun it modifies is in the genitive plural or when a genitive relationship is expressed in a noun phrase. In practice, tavallisempien appears before a plural noun in genitive, as in tavallisempien ihmisten arki, meaning “the everyday life of the more ordinary people.”

Usage and function: Tavallisempien is part of standard Finnish grammar and does not carry meaning independent of the noun it modifies. It is common in sociolinguistic, journalistic, and academic writing to contrast groups by perceived typicality or representativeness. For example, tavallisempien suomalaisten keskuudessa can be translated as “among the more ordinary Finns.” The construction can also describe attitudes, behaviors, or characteristics attributed to a group viewed as more typical of the general population.

Examples: Tavallisempien ihmisten arki on usein hektisempää kuin oletetaan. Tavallisempien suomalaisten näkökulma korostuu tässä tutkimuksessa. These illustrate how the form marks a genitive plural modifier of a plural noun.

See also: Finnish grammar, adjectives, comparative forms, genitive case.