välimatkasta

Välimatkasta is the elative singular form of the Finnish noun välimatka, meaning “from a distance” or “about a distance” depending on context. Välimatka denotes the length of space between two points or objects, often used in travel, navigation, or geometric descriptions. The word is composed of väli (“between”) and matka (“journey” or “distance”).

In Finnish grammar, the suffix -sta/-stä marks the elative case, which is used to indicate origin, source, or topic. Therefore välimatkasta literally means “from the distance” or “about the distance” and appears in contexts where distance is the subject of discussion or the source of information. The form is more common in written, technical, or academic language and less frequent in casual speech, where other constructions such as etäisyydestä might be used.

Usage notes:

- Välimatkasta often introduces phrases that discuss, analyze, or describe distance as a topic or source of data.

- It is distinct from etäisyys, a closely related term for distance; etäisyys is more commonly used in scientific or mathematical contexts, while välimatka emphasizes distance between specific points or along a route.

Examples:

- Keskustelu välimatkasta käsitteli kaupungin ja naapurikaupungin välisten etäisyyksien mittauksia.

- Sanomalehtiartikkeli käsittelee välimatkasta ja sen vaikutusta liikenneverkkoon.

Overall, välimatkasta is primarily a grammatical inflection used to refer to a distance as a topic or source within Finnish prose.