Puheksellinen

Puheksellinen is a proposed term in linguistics and literary studies that designates a discourse modality in which speech acts and performative force are foregrounded in the linguistic structure. The term combines Finnish puhe (speech) with the adjectival suffix -ksellinen, signaling a 'speech-like' or 'speech-centric' quality. It first appeared in academic discussions in the early 2020s as a way to describe narratives and dialogues that foreground the act of speaking itself, rather than merely conveying information.

In practice, puheksellinen is characterized by frequent quotative frames (that is, markers of speech attribution), an increased use of vocatives and direct address, and the integration of prosodic or performance cues into the written text. It often involves converging dialogue, self-address, and meta-commentary about speaking, creating a textured reflexivity between speaker, addressee, and utterance. The construct is used to analyze genres like contemporary web fiction, chat narratives, and performative political rhetoric, where the act of speaking becomes a central event.

Relation to other concepts: it overlaps with theories of speech act, dialogism, and performativity. Critics argue that puheksellinen can blur boundaries between discourse levels or risk over-interpretation of stylistic features as a distinct linguistic category.

Notes: It is a relatively new, contested label and is not widely standardized; usage varies by author and field. See also: puhekieli, puheteoria, performativity, speech act theory.