puolustella

Puolustella is a Finnish verb meaning to defend in an argumentative or advocating sense, or to justify and support a claim, action, or position. The act is typically rhetorical rather than physical, distinguishing it from the more general verb puolustaa, which covers defense in broader contexts including protection and legal defense. Puolustella is commonly used when someone argues in favor of a stance, explains their reasoning, or counters criticism.

Etymology and related forms: Puolustella is built from the noun puolustus (defense) with the -ella suffix that creates a verb expressing the act related to the root concept. It belongs to the Finnish class of -ella/-ellä verbs, whose forms follow standard Finnish conjugation patterns. Related verbs in the same semantic area include suojella (to protect) and varjella (to guard), illustrating a family of words formed with the -ella/-ellä suffixes to denote deliberate actions.

Usage and examples: Puolustella requires an object or target for what is being defended. For example, one might say, “Hän puolustelee kantaansa” (He defends his stance) or “Hän puolusteli kantaansa väitteessä” (He defended his stance in the claim). It is frequently used in discussions, debates, and written argumentation to describe the act of offering justification, explanations, or rebuttals in support of a position, policy, or action. Common collocations include puolustella väitteitä, puolustella oikeuksiaan, and puolustella kantaansa.

See also: puolustaa, puolustus, defending as a concept in rhetoric and legal contexts.