ilmaisulla

Ilmaisulla is the adessive form of the Finnish noun ilmaisu, meaning expression or manifestation. In linguistic descriptions of Finnish, ilmaisulla is used to denote the means or manner by which something is expressed. It is part of the broader system of cases in Finnish that can mark instrumentality or method.

Morphology and form: The form ilmaisulla is created by adding the adessive suffix -lla to the stem ilmaisu. In singular usage, ilmaisulla corresponds to “with an expression” or “by means of expression.” The corresponding plural form is ilmaisuilla. Like other -lla forms, ilmaisulla can function to indicate the instrument or manner by which an action or expression is realized, depending on the syntactic context.

Function and usage: Ilmaisulla mainly appears in linguistic, descriptive, or scholarly texts about Finnish grammar. It helps specify how something is conveyed or communicated, typically in discussions of expression as a medium rather than in everyday speech. Its usage is specialized and more common in grammars or analyses of Finnish syntax than in casual writing or conversation.

Notes: As a specialized grammatical form, ilmaisulla illustrates Finnish’s rich case and noun-declension system, where -lla/-llä marks instrumentality, manner, or means. Learners encountering ilmaisulla are usually studying syntax, morphology, or the semantics of expression in Finnish.

See also: ilmaisu, Finnish grammar, noun declension, Finnish cases.