Kieliasultaan

Kieliasultaan is a Finnish adverb meaning "in terms of language or wording" or "with regard to linguistic form." It is commonly used in evaluations of texts to single out the phrasing, style, clarity or correctness of language as distinct from content or other aspects.

Etymology and formation: the word derives from kieliasu ("wording; linguistic form") combined with the adverbial suffix -ltaan/-ltään, which creates expressions meaning "with respect to" or "from the point of view of." Thus kieliasultaan literally conveys "as for its wording."

Usage and nuance: kieliasultaan appears in reviews, editorial comments and academic writing when an assessment separates linguistic quality from meaning, structure or factual content. It differs from kielellisesti ("linguistically") by focusing more narrowly on the text's phrasing and surface form than on broader linguistic analysis. Typical collocations include kieliasultaan selkeä ("clear in wording") and kieliasultaan epäjohdonmukainen ("inconsistent in expression").

Grammar note: as an adverbial phrase formed with -ltaan, kieliasultaan functions to modify predicates and is often used to qualify evaluative statements (e.g., "Teksti on sisällöltään hyvä, kieliasultaan korjattava" — "The content is good, but it needs correction in wording").

Related terms: kieliasu, kielellisesti, sanasto and tyylitajua. The term is standard Finnish and appears in both formal and informal registers where distinctions between content and expression are relevant.