isijamuotoinen

Isijamuotoinen is a linguistic term used in some Finnish-language grammars to describe a form that marks the subject of a clause, i.e., a form associated with the subject function. The word combines isija, meaning subject, with -muotoinen, meaning having the form of. In this sense, isijamuotoinen refers to a word form that is used when the word functions as the subject, as opposed to forms used for other grammatical roles such as the object.

The term is largely typological and appears in descriptions that compare languages with explicit subject-marking systems to those where subject forms are not distinct from other forms. Because different grammars may treat the subject more or less prominently, isijamuotoinen is not universally standardized. In some analyses, the subject-marking form aligns with what many grammars call the nominative or other default subject form; in languages with richer case systems, a dedicated subject form may be distinguished from object or possessive forms.

In Finnish and other morphologically rich languages, isijamuotoinen discussions typically focus on how nouns, pronouns, or other nominal forms behave when they occupy the subject position. The concept often serves to emphasize the functional role of a form rather than to introduce a separate, universally defined case category.

Overall, isijamuotoinen is a specialized term used mainly in linguistic or grammatical discussions to denote forms that explicitly mark the subject. Its usage varies between grammars, and alternative terminology such as nominative or subject form is common.