epätavallinen

Epätavallinen is a Finnish adjective meaning unusual, atypical, or extraordinary. It is used to describe things that are not ordinary or common, including phenomena, events, behaviors, or objects. The term is generally neutral in tone, though its connotation depends on context; it can be perceived positively when referring to innovation or negatively when describing irregularities.

Etymology and formation: The word is formed from tavallinen (ordinary) with the negative prefix ep- and the common adjective ending -inen. Thus epätavallinen literally means “not ordinary.”

Grammar and usage: Epätavallinen inflects like other Finnish adjectives, agreeing with the noun in number and case (for example, epätavallinen ilmiö, epätavallisen ilmiön, epätavallisia ilmiöitä). It is often preferred over stronger terms like poikkeuksellinen when a neutral sense of “unusual” is wanted; erikoinen or kummallinen convey more odd or peculiar impressions.

Examples and related forms: Epätavallinen sääolosuhde, epätavallinen ratkaisu, epätavallinen tapahtuma illustrate common applications. The related noun epätavallisuus means “unusualness.” Epätavallinen is a versatile descriptor across everyday language, journalism, and academic contexts for noting departures from what is typical.