Lähtökohtaiset

Lähtökohtaiset is a Finnish adjective meaning starting or initial, used to describe things that form the baseline for further work. It is the plural form of lähtökohtainen and is used before plural nouns (for example, lähtökohtaiset tiedot, lähtökohtaiset oletukset). The base noun is lähtökohta, meaning a starting point or basis.

Common uses of the term appear in research, planning, policy, and project management. It designates the initial data, assumptions, or principles that establish the reference point for subsequent analysis or comparison. For instance, lähitökohtaiset tiedot are the baseline data collected at the outset, and lähtökohtaiset oletukset are the initial assumptions underlying a model or evaluation.

In language and terminology, the singular form is lähtökohtainen. In English, the closest equivalents are baseline or initial. The phrase occurs across academic, technical, and administrative Finnish, often in phrases such as lähtökohtaiset periaatteet or lähtökohtaiset kriteerit to indicate foundational principles or criteria.

Etymology traces the word to lähtökohta, meaning starting point, combined with the suffix -inen to form an adjective, with -aiset marking the plural. The concept emphasizes reference points used at the outset of a project, study, or assessment, rather than results obtained later in the process.