sõnastikel

Sõnastikel is the adessive plural form of sõnastik, the Estonian noun meaning dictionary or lexicon. It is a grammatical inflection used to indicate location or relation to dictionaries in plural form, for example in phrases like on sõnastikel or in sõnastikel.

Etymology and morphology: The base word sõnastik denotes a collection of words or terms. By applying Estonian noun inflection patterns, the word takes the adessive plural ending to form sõnastikel, signaling a plural location or reference related to dictionaries (for example, “on sõnastikel” meaning “on the dictionaries” or “in the dictionaries” depending on context).

Usage and context: Sõnastikel appears primarily in linguistic, lexicographic, and educational contexts. It can be found in academic texts, descriptions of dictionaries, or sentences that discuss contents, features, or usage of multiple dictionaries. As a form, it reflects how Estonian marks plurality and spatial relation simultaneously.

Relation to other terms: The root sõnastik is related to other dictionary-related terms in Estonian, such as sõnastik and sõnastikud for plural nominative. The inflected form sõnastikel illustrates how case endings interact with number in Estonian morphology, and how these endings convey subtle locational meaning when referring to lexical resources.

See also: sõnastik, Estonian grammar, Estonian cases, lexicography.