Tavapäraste

Tavapäraste is the genitive plural form of the Estonian adjective tavapärane, meaning ordinary, typical or common. It is used to modify a plural noun in the genitive case, for example tavapäraste inimeste hulgas, meaning “among ordinary people.” Because Estonian adjectives agree with the noun in number and case, tavapäraste appears whenever the noun it describes is in genitive plural. The form signals that what is being described belongs to the usual or customary category rather than to something exceptional.

Etymology and meaning: tavapärane is formed from tava, meaning custom or habit, combined with pärane, indicating pertaining to or characteristic of. The resulting sense is something that is typical or conventional within a given context. In usage, tavapärane contrasts with terms that emphasize rarity, exceptionality or novelty.

Usage and nuance: Tavapäraste is commonly found in descriptive writing, sociolinguistic discourse, journalism and academic texts when referring to groups, phenomena or characteristics that are considered normal or representative for a larger set. It often helps frame statements as typical rather than unusual, and it can be contrasted with words like erandlik (exceptional) or ebatavaline (uncommon).

Examples:

- Tavapäraste inimeste hulgas on palju erinevaid kogemusi.

- Tavapäraste olukordade kirjeldus võib olla lihtsam kui erandlike juhtumite.

See also: tavapärane, tavaline, normaalne.