Selväkielinen

Selväkielinen is a Finnish adjective describing language or speech that is easy to understand. The word is formed from selvä, meaning clear, and kielinen, relating to language, with the common adjectival suffix -nen. In practice, selväkielinen can refer to both spoken and written forms that are characterized by clarity and intelligibility, though it is less common in everyday use than related terms.

In linguistic and educational contexts, selväkielinen may describe speech that is clearly articulated, with careful pronunciation, slower tempo, and unambiguous phrasing, as well as texts that employ straightforward vocabulary and concise sentences. It is often discussed in relation to accessibility and communication effectiveness, where clarity is the primary goal.

However, in contemporary Finnish the standard term for plain-language materials is selkokieli or selkokielinen teksti. Selväkielinen is comparatively rare and may be encountered mainly in older texts, specialized discourse, or as a stylistic variant. Some sources suggest a nuance: selväkielinen emphasizes the overall clarity of expression, while selkokielinen targets materials produced to the plain-language standard for broad accessibility.

In practice, the two terms can overlap, but native speakers typically recognize selkokieli as the established label for easy Finnish. Selväkielinen, when used, tends to imply a focus on clear articulation or plain-language qualities, but it is not the preferred umbrella term for accessible communication in modern Finnish.

See also: selkokieli, selkokielinen teksti, plain language movement, Finnish phonetics.