võrdlusel

Võrdlusel is the adessive singular form of the Estonian noun võrdlus, meaning a “comparison” or “analogy.” In linguistic and literary contexts, võrdlus refers to the act or device of comparing, often serving as a synonym for a simile or analogy. The form võrdlusel is used to indicate location or basis in a sentence, roughly translating to “on/at the comparison” or “based on the comparison.”

In usage, võrdlusel appears in phrases that describe conclusions, observations, or analyses grounded in comparison. For example, võrdlusel põhinevad järeldused means “conclusions based on a comparison.” The construction is common in academic writing, critical commentary, and scholarly discussion of texts, data, or phenomena where similarities and differences are evaluated.

Grammatically, võrdlusel is a noun phrase headed by võrdlus, declined in the adessive case. It can combine with verbs and adjectives that describe the basis or context of a statement, such as põhinevad (are based on) or võrreldavad (comparable) when paired with the broader phrase describing the nature of the comparison.

See also: võrdlus (comparison), analoogia (analogy), simile.

Note: In Estonian, the explicit marking of a simile or comparison is also achieved through particles and words like nagu (like) or kui (as), but võrdlusel focuses on the context or basis of the comparison rather than the comparative phrase itself.