työläys

Työläys is a Finnish noun that denotes the state or quality of labor or toil. It emphasizes the act of working and the exertion involved, rather than the social role of the worker. In modern Finnish, työläys is relatively uncommon in everyday speech and is more likely to appear in literary, historical, or formal contexts where a stylistic focus on toil or diligence is desired.

Etymology: The word is formed from työ (work) with a nominalizing suffix -läys, creating an abstract noun that expresses a condition or quality related to labor.

Usage and nuance: Työläys can refer to physical labor, mental effort, or sustained work, and may carry connotations of endurance, fatigue, or industriousness depending on context. It can be used descriptively (the toil of farmers) or evaluatively in discussions of work ethics.

Historical and sociocultural notes: In historical writing, työläys is sometimes used to discuss the experience of workers or the burdens of labor during industrialization. Related terms such as työläisyys (the working class) describe social identity, while työläys remains a general term for the act or condition of working.

Related terms: työläinen (worker) and työläisyys (the working class or worker identity).

See also: Työ; työläisyys; työläinen.