Receptiivinen

Receptiivinen is an adjective used in Finnish to describe the ability to receive information, rather than to produce it. The term is common in linguistics, psychology, and pedagogy, and is most often applied to receptive skills—understanding spoken or written input—rather than to productive skills such as speaking or writing.

In language education, receptiiviset taidot refer to listening and reading comprehension. They are typically contrasted with productive or expressive skills. Assessments may distinguish receptive vocabulary, which a learner understands, from productive vocabulary, which the learner actively uses.

In psychology, receptiivinen can describe an openness to new information or experiences. In neuroscience and related fields, the concept appears in discussions of processing that receives sensory input; Finnish texts may use loanwords like receptive fields while also employing more descriptive Finnish phrases.

Etymology and usage: the word derives from the Latin receptivus 'capable of receiving' and entered Finnish scientific vocabulary in the modern era. It is most common in technical contexts, often paired with their antonyms or contrasts such as productive/active skills.

See also: receptive language, productive language, passive vocabulary, receptive field.