kohoamalla

Kohoamalla is a Finnish grammatical form derived from the verb kohota, functioning as an adverbial participle that expresses means or manner: by rising or by increasing. It is used to convert a finite clause into a non-finite form that indicates how an action is performed, and it is commonly found in descriptive or literary prose.

Formation and function

The form kohoamalla is created with the verb stem koh- plus the adverbial participle suffix -malla, yielding a construction that literally means “by rising.” As an adverbial participle, kohoamalla can modify the main clause and describe the circumstances under which the action takes place. It is distinct from the present active participle kohoava (rising, in a descriptive sense) and from other non-finite forms in Finnish, yet it shares with them the aim of compactly expressing manner or means.

Usage

Kohoamalla is typically used to describe physical ascent or rising phenomena, such as things that increase in height, level, or intensity, and can also be employed metaphorically to indicate escalation or growth. In practice, it appears most often in written, stylistically elevated Finnish rather than in everyday speech, where speakers may opt for finite clauses or simpler subordinations.

Stylistic considerations

Because kohoamalla conveys a non-finite, manner-based relation, its use can contribute to a tone of conciseness and formality. Writers may choose kohoamalla to vary sentence rhythm or to foreground the manner of an action without introducing an additional finite clause.

See also: kohota, Finnish adverbial participles, non-finite clauses.