sukeljas

Sukeljas is a Finnish term that appears in some sources as a potential agent noun meaning “one who dives,” but it is not part of standard Finnish. The commonly used word for a diver is sukeltaja, derived from the verb sukeltaa, and the noun for the activity is sukellus. In that sense, sukeljas is considered nonstandard or dialectal when it is encountered at all.

Etymology may be explained by the Finnish pattern of forming agent nouns with the suffix -jas from verbs, as in lukija from lukea (reader). Applied to sukeltaa, sukeltaja is the established form, while sukeljas would be an uncommon or speculative variant.

Usage and attestations are limited. The form sukeljas is rarely found in contemporary Finnish and is generally described as nonstandard, obscure, or dialectal in linguistic notes. When it does appear, it is usually in informal, poetic, or experimental contexts rather than in formal language.

Relation to standard terms is clear: sukeltaja is the standard noun for a diver, and sukellus denotes diving as an activity. Sukeljas does not have wide recognition in dictionaries or formal usage, and speakers encountering it are advised to use sukeltaja or sukellus for clarity.

See also: Sukeltaja, Sukellus, Sukellusvene.