luokitella

Luokitella is a Finnish verb meaning to classify or categorize. It is a transitive verb used to place items into groups or categories, and it appears in scientific, educational, archival, and data-management contexts where systematic organization is required.

Etymology and related terms: the word is formed from the noun luokka (class, category) with the verbal suffix -tella, indicating an action related to creating or assigning classes. Related nouns include luokitus, meaning classification, and luokittelu, a process of classifying. The concept centers on organizing items by predefined criteria.

Grammar and usage: luokitella follows standard Finnish conjugation patterns for verbs. It is commonly used with a direct object and can appear in both active and passive constructions. Examples in Finnish include: Käyttäjät luokittelevat artikkelit aihepiirin mukaan (Users classify articles by topic) and Tutkimuksessa näytteet luokitellaan luokkien mukaan (In the study, samples are classified according to classes). The passive form luokitellaan is a frequent appearance in neutral or impersonal statements. The verb can also appear with modifiers to specify criteria for classification, such as taxonomic, functional, or temporal criteria.

Contexts and scope: luokitella is widely used in linguistics, library and information science, data science, museum and archive work, biology, and quality control. It emphasizes systematic grouping rather than judgment, and it often accompanies standards, taxonomies, or controlled vocabularies that define the classification criteria.

See also: luokitus, lajittelu, taxon, taxonomy, categorization.