grundsätzlichem

Grundsätzlichem is a German inflected form of the adjective root associated with fundamentality, used in the dative singular masculine or neuter. It arises when an attributive adjective modifying a masculine or neuter noun in the dative case takes an ending without a definite article (strong or mixed declension) or after a preposition that governs the dative. The form signals that the described quality is fundamental or principle-based.

Etymology and meaning: The adjective is linked to Grundsatz, the noun for “principle” or “policy,” and to the broader sense of grundlegend or grundsätzlich, which convey fundamental, essential, or principle-based characteristics. In usage, grundsätzliche (with -e) is common in the nominative or accusative positions (e.g., grundsätzliche Frage), while grundsätzlichem appears in contexts where the noun is in the dative singular and the phrase lacks a definite article, or follows a preposition such as mit or in.

Usage and examples: Grundsätzlichem occurs mainly in formal or written German where precision about fundamental aspects is intended. Examples include:

- Mit grundsätzlichem Sinn lässt sich das Konzept erklären. (With fundamental sense, the concept can be explained.)

- In grundsätzlichem Sinn betrachtet man diesen Ansatz als grundlegend. (In a fundamental sense, one regards this approach as essential.)

Notes: Grundsätzlichem is not a standalone lexical item but a specific inflected form of an adjective derived from Grundsatz/ grundlegend. The corresponding nominative or accusative forms are grundsätzliche, while other cases and numbers require the appropriate endings. In everyday language, speakers often use grundsätzliche or grundlegend with the noun rather than the precise dative form grundsätzlichem, depending on the syntactic position.