asetatav

Asetatav is a term from Estonian linguistics describing a class of adjectives formed from verbs with the -atav suffix, used to express potentiality or capability. It derives from the verb asetama, meaning to place or to set, with the suffix -atav yielding the sense "able to be placed" or "settable." In appearance, asetatav-adjectives behave like other derivational adjectives in Estonian; they may modify nouns and take standard case endings.

Morphology and usage: The construction is productive in Estonian and commonly appears in technical, procedural, or architectural language to describe objects or operations that can be configured, installed, or arranged. As with other -atav forms, phonological adjustments may occur at stem boundaries.

Examples in Estonian include asetatav süsteem (a settable system) and asetatav lüliti (a configurable switch). In English translations, asetatav is typically rendered as settable, configurable, or installable, depending on context.

Semantics: The term emphasizes feasibility rather than current state, focusing on what is possible given conditions or specifications. It is compatible with attributive and predicative use, and can participate in comparative constructions with more/less asetatav.

In broader linguistic discussion, asetatav is cited as an example of productive derivational morphology in Estonian, illustrating how verb roots acquire adjectival meaning through suffixation. See also Estonian language, -atav suffix, asetama.