Suhtautumaan

Suhtautumaan is a non-finite form of the Finnish verb suhtautua, meaning to relate to or to have an attitude toward something or someone. It is used to indicate the act or tendency of forming an attitude or response, and it often appears in subordinate clauses or in phrases where another verb governs the action. In practice, suhtautumaan is commonly found in sentences describing how people or groups respond to ideas, events, or situations. It may express openness, skepticism, neutrality, or other stances, usually modified by adverbs such as myönteisesti, kriittisesti, neutraalisti, or avoimesti.

Examples:

- Hän päätti suhtautumaan tilanteeseen avoimesti.

- Oppilaita rohkaistaan suhtautumaan epäonnistumisiin oppimismahdollisuuksina.

- Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, miten ihmiset suhtautuvat ilmastonmuutokseen.

The related noun suhtautuminen means "attitude" or "approach" and is widely used in academic and media texts. It can refer to personal dispositions, collective values, or institutional stances, e.g., "keskustelun suhtautuminen" or "yhteiskunnan suhtautuminen muuttuviin arvoihin." Synonyms include asenne and näkemys, though suhtautuminen emphasizes the relational stance toward a target rather than a general belief. The form is productive in Finnish, appearing in many contexts, from education to journalism.