Väittelylle

Väittelylle is a Finnish word in the illative case derived from the noun väittely, which means “debate” or “argument.” The illative case indicates movement toward a destination or entry into an event, so väittelylle literally translates as “to the debate” or “into the debate.” It is formed by adding the ending –lle to the base noun, a pattern common to many Finnish nouns.

The term is used in written and spoken Finnish when referring to participation, contribution, or focus on a specific debate. For example, the phrase “Katko tähän väittelylle” means “Pay attention to this debate.” In academic writing, väittelylle can mark the subject of a discussion, as in “Tämän tutkimuksen keskeinen väittelylle on” (The central debate of this study is…).

In grammatical descriptions of Finnish, väittelylle is cited as an example of the illative case’s semantic function, often contrasting with the accusative case used for direct objects. The word also illustrates the relationship between the verb väittää (“to argue, to assert”) and its nominalized form, showing how Finnish expresses ideas of argumentation in noun form.

Because väittelylle relies on context to determine its precise sense—whether literal reference to a recorded debate or a figurative engagement in a controversy—it is commonly taught in courses on Finnish syntax and case usage. The form exemplifies the transparency of Finnish case morphology in conveying subtle nuances of direction and focus.