palvelijoiden

Palvelijoiden is the genitive plural form of the Finnish word palvelija, meaning servants. The term designates people employed to perform tasks for others, often in a household or in public service contexts. Historically, domestic servants formed a recognized social group in Finland, especially in rural manor estates and urban households in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Duties could include cleaning, cooking, maintenance, personal assistance, and attending to hosts or guests. The word is relatively formal or archaic today; in contemporary Finnish, more specific terms are used such as kotitalousapulainen or siivooja for cleaners, kodinhoitaja for housekeeper, or palvelutyöntekijä for service workers in broader settings.

The grammar form palvelijoiden marks the possessive/genitive plural, as in palvelijoiden asema (the servants’ position) or palvelijoiden oikeudet (the servants’ rights). In literature and historical texts, the genitive palvelijoiden frequently occurs in discussions of social structure, labor, and estate management. The concept of servants has also influenced Finnish terminology for social classes, with related terms such as palvelijakunta (the body of servants). Contemporary discussions tend to frame such work in terms of labor rights and service industry professions rather than as a distinct social stratum.