Reaaliosanat
Reaaliosanat is a Finnish linguistic term that literally translates to “real words” or “actual words”. It is used primarily within academic discussions of lexical authenticity, denoting lexical items that have a long-established presence in the Finnish language and are considered part of the standard dictionary corpus. The concept contrasts with neologisms, loanwords that have been only recently adopted, and onomatopoeic or coined terms that may not yet have achieved widespread usage. Reaaliosanat form the core vocabulary that is taught in schools, used in official documents, and appears in literary texts, thereby serving as a benchmark for linguistic purity and stability in Finnish lexicography.
The term emerged in the late 20th century, reflecting a growing interest among Finnish linguists and language