Mittespetsiifiliste

Mittespetsiifiliste is a term used in Estonian linguistics to describe a category of referents or expressions that are non-specific or only partially specified in discourse. The word combines the negation prefix mitte- with spetsiifiline meaning “specific,” and appears in inflected forms such as mittespetsiifiliste within sentences to indicate agreement and case.

In semantics and pragmatics, mittespetsiifiliste expressions are contrasted with fully specific or definite referents as well as with generic or indefinite references. They signal a lower level of specificity, indicating that the speaker does not intend to identify a precise entity or set of entities, but rather a class, a subset, or a provisional reference. Such expressions help manage discourse coherence, information structure, and speaker commitment.

Morphology and usage: The form mittespetsiifiliste is part of Estonian inflection patterns and is used in contexts where adjectives modify nouns in certain grammatical cases. The concept is primarily discussed in studies of specificity and information structure in Estonian, with acknowledged cross-linguistic parallels to notions of non-specificity or indefiniteness in other languages.

Applications: Researchers examine mittespetsiifiliste expressions to understand how speakers underdetermine referents, how listeners interpret non-specific cues, and how these forms interact with focus and topic management in discourse.

See also: specificity, definiteness, indefiniteness, information structure, Estonian linguistics.