Kierteisyydellä

Kierteisyydellä is a Finnish term used to describe the manner of performing an action with circuitousness or obliqueness. The noun kierteisyys means circuitousness or twisting; kierteisyydellä is the adessive form used to indicate manner or means — “with circuitousness” or “by a circuitous approach.” In linguistic and rhetorical contexts the term denotes indirectness in speech, writing, or procedure, often featuring elaborate phrasing, digressions, and reframing rather than direct statements.

The concept is used to discuss how meaning is constructed in texts and interactions. It can be deliberate, as when a speaker or writer avoids direct assertion for strategic reasons, or stylistic, reflecting cultural preferences for nuance and politeness. In criticism, kierteisyydellä is typically contrasted with straightforwardness or clarity, though defenders argue that indirectness can enhance nuance, diplomacy, or aesthetic effect.

In practice, references to kierteisyydellä appear in analyses of Finnish discourse, especially in discussions of rhetoric, legal drafting, or literary style. It is considered a feature of circuitous communication rather than a formal linguistic category with a single, fixed definition.

See also: kierteinen, kierteisyys, indirectness in communication, rhetoric, Finnish stylistics.