Tuntijaon

Tuntijaon is a neologism used in Finnish-language discourse to denote the concept of expert-based evaluation within a system. As a coined term, it has no single, universally accepted definition or formal status in major dictionaries. In common usage, tuntijaon is described as the process or state in which decisions are significantly influenced by the judgments of recognized experts, or as the collective authority of a panel of specialists. The term is sometimes invoked in discussions about science policy, design critique, cultural evaluation, or regulatory affairs to emphasize reliance on expert opinion rather than popularity or political considerations.

Etymology and form are uncertain, since tuntijaon does not follow a standard Finnish morphological pattern. It appears to be a constructed compound drawing on tuntija (expert) with a suffix-like ending to produce a noun that signals a domain, state, or system. Because of its nonstandard status, interpretations of tuntijaon depend heavily on context, and it is typically understood as a theoretical or fictional concept rather than a fixed term in everyday language.

Usage and reception are limited to niche or speculative contexts. The term may be employed to discuss how expertise shapes policy, evaluation criteria, or design outcomes, or to explore tensions between expert judgment and democratic accountability. Due to its informal and context-dependent nature, tuntijaon is often clarified by accompanying explanations or by contrasting it with more established terms such as asiantuntijapaneeli (expert panel) or asiantuntijaoikeus (expert authority).

See also: Expertise, Knowledge governance, Expert panel, Decision-making. References for tuntijaon are not part of standard Finnish lexicons; its use is largely contextual and theoretical.