työläistä

The term "työläistä" is the partitive singular form of the Finnish word "työläinen," which translates to "worker" or "laborer." In a Finnish context, "työläinen" often refers to someone engaged in manual labor or skilled trades, as opposed to an "virkamies" (official) or "virkailija" (clerical worker). Historically, the term carried connotations associated with the working class and their role in society.

The concept of "työläinen" has evolved over time, reflecting changes in the economy and social structures. In periods of industrialization, it specifically denoted factory workers and those employed in large-scale production. As the economy has shifted towards service industries and knowledge-based work, the direct application of "työläinen" to all forms of employment has become less common, though the underlying concept of manual and skilled labor persists.

The partitive case "työläistä" is used in Finnish grammar to indicate a part of something, an indefinite quantity, or as an object of certain verbs and prepositions. For instance, one might say "näin työläistä" (I saw a worker/some workers), where the partitive is used because the exact number or identity of the workers is not specified or is incomplete. The term and its grammatical forms remain integral to the Finnish language and its cultural understanding of labor.