Viittaamalla

Viittaamalla is Finnish for the adverbial participle derived from the verb viitata, meaning “to refer to” or “to cite.” It is used to indicate the manner or means by which something is done, typically by referring to a source or authority. In prose, viittaamalla introduces a participial phrase that modifies the main clause and is usually separated by a comma.

Formation and function: Viittaamalla is formed from the verb viitata with the adverbial participle suffix -malla/-mällä, creating a tapa-partisiippi (adverbial participle). This form expresses how the action of the main clause is carried out—by referring to or citing something. It is common in formal and academic writing to show evidence, support, or attribution.

Usage: The construction is frequently used to point to sources, rules, or prior findings as the basis for a claim. It can introduce statements such as, “Viittaamalla lähteisiin, tutkimus osoittaa…” (By referring to the sources, the study shows…). It also helps to attribute authority or to indicate that a point rests on external references rather than on the narrator’s alone.

Examples:

- Viittaamalla aiempiin tutkimuksiin, artikkeli vahvistaa väitteensä.

- Viittaamalla lähteisiin, kirjoittaja osoittaa, että seuraavat väitteet perustuvat todistettuihin kriteereihin.

Related terms: The noun viittaaminen refers to the act of referring or citing, while viite or viittaus denote a reference or citation. These forms are commonly used in scholarly texts to discuss sources and authority.

In summary, viittaamalla is a key Finnish tool for signaling that a claim rests on cited sources or established references, expressed succinctly through an adverbial participle.