Puhuttelemiseen

Puhuttelemiseen is a Finnish linguistic term that denotes the act or process of addressing someone in speech. It refers to the practice of speaking directly to a person or audience, often involving the choice of form of address, level of politeness, and rhetorical strategies used to engage the listener.

In Finnish grammar, puhuttelemiseen is a nominalized form derived from the verb puhuttelee or the noun puhuttelu, with the suffix -miseen marking an infinitive or verbal noun meaning “to address.” As a concept, it is used to discuss how speakers direct their language toward others, rather than focusing on what they say about a topic. It is commonly employed in discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and rhetoric to analyze interactional dynamics.

Usage and contexts vary from everyday conversation to formal public speaking. In routine talk, puhuttelemiseen may involve casual forms and pronouns, while in political speeches, customer service, or educational settings it encompasses deliberate choices about address terms, tone, and register. The concept also intersects with power relations and politeness norms, as different social contexts favor different modes of address and levels of formality.

Related concepts include forms of address, direct address, and politeness strategies. Understanding puhuttelemiseen helps explain how speakers situate themselves and their listeners within a communicative situation, shaping clarity, reception, and social meaning in spoken interaction.