Agenttisanasta

Agenttisanasta is a term used in Finnish linguistics and media studies to describe a discourse style that foregrounds the agency of actors in language and communication. The word is a compound of agentti (agent) and sana (word), and it is applied to both linguistic forms and rhetorical positions that emphasize intentionality, responsibility, and action by agents—whether human, organizational, or artificial.

Origins and usage have been modest and focused in Finnic academic and online discussions. The term emerged in the late 2010s and has not achieved broad formal adoption, but it is used to analyze texts and utterances where who acts and why is made explicit, rather than obscured by impersonal constructions. In practice, agenttisanasta is used to critique or foreground accountability in manuals, policies, digital interfaces, and AI narratives, where the design or description of a system makes explicit the agents performing or guiding actions.

In application, the concept helps identify when language attributes actions to a specific actor or device, shaping readers’ or users’ perception of responsibility. It can contrast with neutral or passive constructions that obscure agency, and it is often discussed in the context of user experience, governance of automated systems, and ethical communication in technology.

Related ideas include agency in linguistics, agentive voice, narrative agency, and discourse pragmatics. See also discussions of anthropomorphism, transparency in AI, and Finnish-language studies of rhetoric and rhetoric of technology.