Ulkomaisilta

Ulkomaisilta is a Finnish word that functions as an inflected form indicating origin from foreigners or from abroad. It is the elative plural form of the adjective ulkomainen (foreign) and is used when the referents of the sentence are plural and the circumstance involves origin or source.

Formation and meaning. In Finnish, the elative case expresses origin or source and, for adjectives used with plural nouns, the form appears as -ilta. Therefore ulkomaisilta translates roughly to “from foreigners” or “from abroad,” depending on context. The corresponding singular elative form is ulkomaiselta (from a foreigner). The form ulkomaisilta is typically followed by a plural noun in the elative, such as toimittajilta (from suppliers), valmistajilta (from manufacturers), or tutkijoilta (from researchers).

Usage examples. Ulkomaisilta toimittajilta saatu tieto osoittaa laadukkaita tuotantoprosesseja. Yhtiö on tehnyt sopimuksia ulkomaisilta valmistajilta. Tutkimustuloksia on kerätty ulkomaisilta tutkijoilta. In these contexts, ulkomaisilta clearly signals that the source is outside the Finnish context, i.e., foreign.

Notes. Ulkomaisilta is grammatically distinct from ulkomaalaiset, which is the plural noun meaning “foreigners,” and from other forms like ulkomaiselta. The elative plural form is common in business, journalism, and academic Finnish when referencing external sources or origins. The nuance depends on context and the head noun it accompanies.

See also: ulkomainen, ulkomaalainen, ulkomaat.