Viidatakse

Viidatakse is the present passive form of the Estonian verb viidata, meaning to cite, refer to, or point to. It is used to indicate that something is being mentioned or brought up by someone else, without naming the agent. In English, it corresponds to is cited or is referred to.

Grammar and usage: Viidatakse is a non-specific passive construction used when the subject performing the action is unknown or unimportant. It is common in academic writing, journalism, and reports to point readers to sources or established connections without attributing the statement to a particular agent. The related noun viide means reference, and the verb viitama means to cite or to refer to. The past passive form viidatud means cited or referred to.

Examples: Typical translations into English illustrate its function. This claim is cited in previous studies. As cited in the sources, this fulfills function X. In Estonian, similar sentences would use the passive construction to reference sources or prior statements without naming the author.

Etymology and usage note: The root viita is tied to pointing or indicating, which underpins the referential sense of viidata. The passive form viidatakse signals the referential function in a text, often allowing writers to attribute information to sources while maintaining a neutral or formal tone. In translations, viidatakse is commonly rendered as is cited or is referred to, preserving the sense of external attribution without explicit agency.