Breakdown of Apuraha myönnettiin tieteellisten ansioiden ja aktiivisuuden nojalla.
ja
and
tieteellinen
scientific
apuraha
the grant / the scholarship
ansio
the merit
nojalla
by virtue of / on the basis of
aktiivisuus
the activity / the activeness
myöntää
to grant / to award
Questions & Answers about Apuraha myönnettiin tieteellisten ansioiden ja aktiivisuuden nojalla.
How does the postposition nojalla interact with the multiple words before it?
The postposition nojalla means 'on the basis of' or 'by virtue of' and requires the word it governs to be in the genitive case. In this sentence, it governs a compound phrase, so both ansioiden (merits) and aktiivisuuden (activity) are in the genitive case. The adjective tieteellisten (scientific) must also match the case of ansioiden, making it genitive plural.
Why is the object Apuraha in the nominative case rather than an object case?
Apuraha is the object of the passive verb myönnettiin (was awarded). A key refresher rule in Finnish is that when a sentence is in the passive voice, a total object (an entire thing being acted upon) takes the nominative case, which is the basic dictionary form, rather than the accusative case.
How is the word aktiivisuuden formed?
It comes from the adjective aktiivinen (active). Adding the suffix -suus turns it into the abstract noun aktiivisuus (activity). When we put words ending in -uus or -yys into the genitive case to match the requirement of the postposition nojalla, the stem changes to -uude- or -yyde-, giving us aktiivisuuden.
Can I use perusteella instead of nojalla in this sentence?
Yes, perusteella is very similar and also means 'on the basis of'. However, nojalla often carries a slightly more formal or official tone, implying that the decision is justified by a specific rule, right, or set of official merits. This fits perfectly when talking about an official process like awarding a grant (apuraha).
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