Vieraantua

Vieraantua is a Finnish verb meaning to become estranged or alienated. It describes the process by which a person or group grows distant from another person, a community, or norms, often involving emotional distancing rather than physical separation. The term is used in psychology, sociology, literature, and everyday speech to denote loss of connection or belonging.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from vieras meaning foreign or strange, with a suffix indicating change of state. The reflexive form describes the subject itself becoming estranged, while the causative vieraannuttaa means to estrange someone from something. Common constructions include: "Hän on vieraantunut vanhemmistaan" (He has become estranged from his parents) and "Kaupungin kehitys on vieraantanut asukkaita yhteisöstään" (The city's development has estranged residents from their community).

Contexts: Vieraantuminen can arise from changes in values, upbringing, modernization, or social conditions; it is discussed in relation to social alienation, intergenerational gaps, and character development in literature. It is related to but distinct from erkaantuminen and etääntyminen, which emphasize physical separation or growing distance rather than necessarily emotional or relational distance.

See also: vieraantuminen, erkaantuminen, etääntyminen, vieraannuttaminen.