Juoneltaan

Juoneltaan is a Finnish adverb used to refer to the plot or narrative aspects of a work. It translates roughly as “plot-wise” or “in terms of the plot” and is used when a reviewer, critic, or scholar wants to discuss the storyline separately from other elements such as character development, style, or production values. The term is common in Finnish media criticism and academic writing on fiction, film, television, and games.

Origin and form: Juoneltaan is formed from juoni, meaning “plot” or “storyline,” plus the adverbial suffix -eltaan. The construction typically appears as juoneltaan + descriptor, for example, “Juoneltaan elokuva etenee nopeasti” (Plot-wise the film progresses quickly) or “Juoneltaan tarina on mutkikas” (Plot-wise the story is intricate).

Usage notes: Juoneltaan focuses on the storyline and is not itself a judgment of overall quality. It is often used to contrast the plot with other aspects such as character depth, thematic handling, pacing, or visual style. In practice, it coexists with terms like kerronnallisesti (narratively) or teknisesti (technically), depending on what is being evaluated.

Relation to related terms: Juoneltaan is part of a family of expressions that localize critique to particular aspects of a work. While juoni explicitly denotes the plot, related adverbs like kerronnallisesti emphasize narration or storytelling methods, and like juoneltaan they help structure analytical discussion.

Example usage: “Juoneltaan elokuva seuraa perinteistä mysteerikaavaa, mutta loppuratkaisu yllättää.” “Juoneltaan romaani on selkeä ja johdonmukainen, vaikka teemat jäävät hieman ohueksi.”