tarkoitusilmaisua

Tarkoitusilmaisua is a Finnish linguistic term that translates literally into English as “purpose expression.” It refers to a specific syntactic construction in which the speaker explicitly states an intended purpose or goal for an action. The construction typically employs the infinitive form of a verb preceded by the preposition “tarkoituksena” (as a purpose) or by “päästä” (to). For example, “Luen kirjaa harjoitellakseni ääntämystä” demonstrates the use of the infinitive “harjoitellakseni” to indicate purpose. The grammatical feature is closely related to the Finnish purpose clause (intention clause), often marked by the relative particle “että” in a purpose context, but tarkoitusilmaisua is uniquely characterized by its emphasis on the speaker’s foresight.

Originating in the descriptive grammar of early twentieth-century Finnish linguistics, the term was coined by linguistic scholars studying folk speech. It has since been incorporated into modern Finnish syntax references and taught in advanced Finnish language courses. Empirical studies on Finnish discourse have shown that tarkoitusilmaisua signals a speaker’s intentionality, aiding listeners in predicting outcomes and aligning communication strategies. In contrast, purposeless statements rely on contextual inference rather than explicit clause markers.

Dictionary definitions note that the infinitive in a tarkoitusilmaisua clause functions as an adverbial modifier, whereas the main clause expresses the actual action. The construction is found across registers, from colloquial conversation to literary prose, and is considered a hallmark of nuanced Finnish expression. Comparative linguists note that other Finno-Ugric languages, such as Estonian, exhibit similar purpose clause mechanisms, though the morphology differs.