kortilta

Kortilta is the ablative form of the Finnish noun kortti (card) and denotes origin, source, or starting point. It is used to express that something comes from or is taken from a card, label, or similar object, and it can also indicate movement away from that source. In contrast to the locative form kortilla, which means on the card, kortilta conveys extraction or provenance rather than mere location.

Etymology and form: The word is formed by adding the ablative suffix -lta to the stem of kortti, yielding kortilta. This follows standard Finnish pattern for ablative forms with nouns ending in -tti and does not involve irregular vowel changes. The form is common in written and spoken Finnish when the source or starting point is a card or card-like object.

Usage and examples: Kortilta is versatile in everyday and technical language. It answers questions like from where? or from which source? Examples include: Kortilta löytyy ohjeet. (The instructions are on the card / can be found on the card.) Kortilta saa PIN-koodin. (You can obtain the PIN code from the card.) The construction is also used when discussing information or items being sourced from a card rather than from elsewhere.

Notes: When indicating a static location on a surface, Finnish typically uses kortilla (on the card). Kortilta specifically signals extraction, source, or origin, and is common in documentation, manuals, and instructional text where precise sourcing matters. See also Finnish grammar, ablative case, and case distinctions for location versus source.