puheenjohtajalla

Puheenjohtajalla is the adessive singular form of the Finnish noun puheenjohtaja, meaning the chairperson or presiding officer of a meeting, committee, board, or organization. The -lla ending marks location or association, so puheenjohtajalla can translate as “at the chair,” “with the chair,” or, in context, “the chair has the floor.” In Finnish meeting language, the form is commonly used to describe the chair’s role, status, or actions at a given moment.

In practice, puheenjohtajalla is frequently found in procedural sentences and minutes. Examples include statements such as “Puheenjohtajalla on puheenvuoro” (the chair has the floor) or “Puheenjohtajalla on vastuu kokouksen kulusta” (the chair is responsible for the conduct of the meeting). The construction emphasizes the chair’s current position, authority, or duty within the proceedings rather than ownership, which is typically expressed with the possessive form puheenjohtajan.

Distinctions from related forms are important. Puheenjohtajan marks possession (the chairperson’s something), as in “puheenjohtajan tehtävät” (the chairperson’s duties). Puheenjohtajalla, by contrast, highlights present role or location—who is presiding, who holds the floor, or who is exercising leadership at a particular point in time.

Common usage domains include organizational by-laws, formal meeting protocols, and academic descriptions of governance. The term describes the presiding officer’s function rather than a specific title, which may vary between organizations. Related terms include puheenjohtaja (the chairperson) and puheenjohtajisto (the body or group of chairpersons).

See also: puheenjohtaja, puheenjohtajisto, puheenvuoro, pöytäkirja.