niminä

Niminä is the singular essive form of the Finnish noun nimi, meaning name. In Finnish grammar, the essive case expresses a temporary state or role, often translated into English as "as" or "in the capacity of." Therefore niminä can be understood as "as a name" or "in the role of a name" when nimi is used in this grammatical function.

Morphology and function: The form arises from the noun nimi plus the essive suffix -nä, following Finnish vowel harmony. The resulting form is used in contexts where a name is being attributed to or described in its capacity as a name rather than as a simple label. This makes niminä a specialized inflected form rather than a common everyday construction.

Usage: Niminä tends to appear in more formal, linguistic, or bibliographic contexts, such as lexicographic descriptions, language studies, or theoretical discussions about naming and labels. It is less common in ordinary conversation, where simpler phrases or other cases may be favored.

Related concepts: Nimi serves as the base noun meaning "name." The essive case is a broader grammatical category in Finnish that marks states or roles, with various nouns forming essive forms to convey similar meanings such as "as a X." For broader grammar reference, see Finnish grammar sections on nouns, cases, and the essive.

See also: Finnish language; noun cases; essive case; nimi.

Note: The exact usage of niminä can be context-dependent, and speakers may prefer alternative phrasing in everyday language. For precise grammatical rules and examples, consult authoritative Finnish grammar resources.