Skeptisiä

Skeptisiä is the partitive plural form of the Finnish adjective skeptinen, meaning skeptical. It is used to describe attitudes, statements, or evaluations that express doubt or caution toward a claim, discovery, or proposition. In Finnish, skeptisiä modifies a noun in the partitive case, as in skeptisiä mielipiteitä or skeptisiä reaktioita. The term is common in everyday speech and in media when characterizing tentative or questioning stances.

In Finnish grammar, skeptinen belongs to the -inen adjectives. Its nominative plural form is skeptiset, while the partitive plural is skeptisiä. The form skeptisiä is used when the associated noun is in the partitive case (or when referring to an indefinite quantity) or after verbs that require the partitive.

Usage and nuance: Skeptinen suggests a cautious, evidence-based restraint toward propositions rather than immediate acceptance. It is related but distinct from kriittinen (critical), which can imply broader evaluative thinking. In scientific and journalistic contexts, skeptisiä attitudes are described toward unverified claims, new technologies, or controversial findings. Example: Hän on skeptinen siitä väitteestä. Skeptisiä mielipiteitä herättävä tutkimus illustrates a study that generates skeptical opinions.

Etymology and related terms: The Finnish skeptinen derives from Greek skeptikos via Latin and other European languages, and it has related forms such as skeptikko (a skeptic) and skeptismi (skepticism).