puudulike

Puudulike is an Estonian term used mainly as a grammatical form of the adjective puudulik, meaning "deficient" or "lacking." It appears most often in genitive plural constructions within noun phrases describing groups or properties, for example "puudulike inimeste õigused" (the rights of people with disabilities) or "puudulike piirkonnad" (areas with deficiencies). In this use, puudulike functions as a modifier within a larger noun phrase rather than as a standalone noun.

As a standalone noun referring to people, puudulike is less common and can be found in bureaucratic or older texts. In contemporary language, many style guides advise against treating adjectives as nouns when referring to people; instead, phrases like "inimesed, kellel on puue" or "puudega inimesed" are preferred to emphasize the person before the condition.

Etymology-wise, the word is derived from puudulik, meaning lacking or deficient. Morphologically, puudulike is the genitive plural form used with a following noun, as in "puudulike inimeste" or "puudulike kogukonna" (the disabled community).

In sociolinguistic terms, the use of puudulike intersects with discussions about disability rights and inclusive language in Estonia. Debates focus on avoiding stigma, promoting person-first terminology, and ensuring that official documents and media reflect respectful and accurate descriptions of people with disabilities. Overall, puudulike is largely encountered in formal contexts and remains a marker of traditional phrasing rather than everyday casual usage.