Kieltäen

Kieltäen is the present active participle of the Finnish verb kieltää, meaning to deny or to forbid. It functions as a non-finite verb form used to describe an action performed by the subject in relation to the main verb, often indicating manner, circumstance, or concomitant action. In English, it corresponds roughly to "denying" or "by denying." The participle can take possessive suffixes with the object of the denial, as in kieltäen todistuksensa, "denying his testimony."

In usage, kieltäen is most common in written Finnish and tends to appear in formal, legal, or journalistic contexts, as well as in literary narration to convey simultaneity or causality without adding an adverbial clause. It is not a standalone verb form; it functions within a larger sentence alongside a finite main clause.

Examples:

- Hän kieltäen todistuksensa, väitti olevansa syytön.

- Yritys, kieltäen asiakkaan vaatimukset, palautti kuitenkin rahansa.

Relation to other forms:

- The noun form kieltäminen refers to the act of denial or prohibition.

- The related verb kieltää remains the main finite form for tense and mood, while kieltäen provides a non-finite, descriptive alternative in sentences.

Etymology and scope:

- kieltäen derives from the Finnish verb kieltää, whose core meaning is to deny or forbid. As a grammatical tool, kieltäen adds nuance by describing how an action is carried out, rather than stating it as a separate clause.