Vastakkaisena

Vastakkaisena is the essive form of the Finnish adjective vastakkainen, meaning opposite or contrary. In Finnish grammar, the essive case expresses a temporary state or role, roughly translated as “as a …” or “in the capacity of ….” Therefore vastakkaisena means “as the opposite” or “in the opposite position.” The word is used when describing someone or something that takes an opposing stance, perspective, or role in a discussion, argument, or comparison.

Morphology and usage are central to its meaning. The base form is vastakkainen. The essive singular is vastakkaisena, and the essive plural is vastakkaisina. It commonly appears in formal or analytic contexts such as philosophy, rhetoric, or legal and academic writing, where it introduces a counterpoint, contrast, or alternative view. Typical collocations include vastakkaisena näkökulmana (as an opposing viewpoint), vastakkaisena osapuolena (as the opposing party), vastakkaisena esimerkkinä (as an opposite/example of contrast), and vastakkaisina väitteinä (as opposite claims).

In practice, vastakkaisena often appears with verbs or nouns that frame a contrast or counterargument, for example, “Vastakkaisena väitteenä voidaan esittää, että …” or “hän esitti vastakkaisena osapuolena olevan ryhmän näkökulman.” The term conveys a deliberate positioning as the counterpoint within a discourse.

See also: vastakkain, vastakkainasettelu, vastakkainen.