määravatäitel

Määravatäitel is a grammatical term in Estonian that refers to a specific type of genitive or possessive construction. It is used to express a possessive relationship or a part-whole relationship where the possessor or the whole is indicated by a noun in the genitive case. This contrasts with constructions that use other case endings or possessive suffixes.

The primary function of määravatäitel is to show ownership or belonging. For example, in the phrase "maja omanik" (the owner of the house), "maja" is in the genitive case and functions as the määravatäitel, indicating that the owner possesses the house. Similarly, "raamatu lehekülg" (the page of the book) illustrates a part-whole relationship, where "raamatu" (genitive of "raamat" - book) specifies which pages are being discussed.

Another common usage involves expressing a relationship of origin or material. For instance, "puu palk" (a log from a tree) or "kanga muster" (the pattern of the fabric) utilize the genitive case to define the source or composition. The term literally translates to "determining complement" or "defining complement," highlighting its role in specifying or defining the noun it modifies. Understanding määravatäitel is crucial for comprehending the nuances of Estonian grammar and constructing grammatically correct sentences that accurately convey possession and relationships.