Arvamus

Arvamus is an Estonian noun meaning opinion or view. It refers to a belief or judgment about a matter, usually expressed by a person or group. An arvamus may be based on reasoning, experience, or values, but it is not necessarily a verifiable fact. The term is common in everyday language as well as in journalism, politics, and legal discourse, where distinguishing between arvamus and fact is often important.

Etymology and forms: Arvamus is derived from the verb arvama, meaning to think, suppose, or estimate, with the noun suffix -mus. In sentences it is inflected like other Estonian nouns, with forms such as arvamuse (genitive), arvamust (partitive), and arvamuse (definite/genitive plural forms as appropriate).

Usage notes: Typical constructions include minu arvamus on… (my opinion is…), arvan, et… (I think that…), and arvamusavalduse or arvamusartikkel for opinion statements or op-ed pieces. The term is often contrasted with fakt (fact) or tõde (truth), underscoring the subjective nature of arvamus. In media and political contexts, “avalik arvamus” refers to public opinion.

Related concepts: Arvamus can combine with other words to form related phrases, such as arvamusavaldus (expression of opinion) and arvamuslugu or arvamusartikkel (opinion piece). The idea of arvamus is central to discussions about interpretation, perspective, and disagreement in public discourse.