Mielteellisesti

Mielteellisesti is a neologism used in discourse analysis to describe a way of presenting information that reveals the speaker's stance or bias toward a topic. In scholarly contexts it designates language that carries evaluative coloring intended to persuade, align with a viewpoint, or discredit an issue, rather than to neutrally describe it.

Origin and form: The term is a relatively recent coinage in Finnish-language linguistic literature. It is formed from a stem related to mieli (mind, attitude) with the adverbial suffix -ellisesti, following a common pattern for describing manner of action in Finnish. The word is predominantly used as an adverb, as in "kirjoitus käsittelee tapahtumaa mielteellisesti," meaning "the article discusses the event in a biased manner."

Definition and scope: Mielteellisesti generally refers to the presence of a speaker’s predisposition in the presentation of information. It is not a standalone statement of fact, but a characterization of the tone, framing, or emphasis that signals a position. The concept is used in analyses of rhetoric, media criticism, and arguments where understanding bias is important.

Limitations: Because it is a relatively new and context-dependent term, its precise meaning can vary between researchers and fields. It is primarily employed in academic discussions rather than in everyday language.

See also: bias in language, evaluative language, stance-taking, critical discourse analysis.