kartoilla

Kartoilla is a Finnish linguistic form meaning “on the maps.” It is the plural adessive form of the noun kartta (map) and is used to indicate that something can be found or is depicted on multiple maps, map sheets, or map layers. In contrast, the singular form kartalla means “on the map.” The adessive case in Finnish locates objects in space, and the plural variant kartoilla expresses location on several maps.

In practice, kartoilla appears in cartography, geography, and GIS-related contexts to describe where information, features, or data are shown. It is commonly used in captions, legends, metadata, and descriptions to distinguish map-based presentation from text-only references. The form aligns with Finnish grammar rules for locative expressions and follows regular patterns for plural adessive endings.

Usage considerations include that Finnish place-based phrases often rely on context to convey specificity. Kartoilla communicates a plural, map-centered scope and may be complemented by words such as “karttojen” (of the maps) or “karttatasoilla” (on map layers) to specify the exact map collection or layer. While primarily a grammatical form, kartoilla also appears in technical writing to emphasize spatial depiction in map products, atlases, and geospatial datasets.

See also: kartta, kartografia, paikkatieto, GIS.