Väljendite

Väljendite is a term used in Estonian linguistics to refer to multiword units that function as a single unit of meaning and use. They cover a range of expressions, from fixed phrases and idioms to common word pairings and set phrases. Väljendite are distinguished from single words by their reliance on a sequence of words rather than a single lexeme, and by often having a meaning that is not fully predictable from the individual components.

Common types of väljendite include idioms, where the overall meaning cannot be guessed from the words themselves; collocations, where certain words regularly occur together; and fixed or semi-fixed phrases that serve conventional functions such as greetings, formulaic expressions, or proverb-like sayings. Some väljendite are highly productive and adaptable, while others are rigid and unchanged in usage.

Key features of väljendite include variability, frequency, and semantic opacity. Some expressions allow morphological changes or syntactic adjustment, whereas others remain unchanged. They contribute to style, tone, and fluency in speech and writing, and they often pose particular challenges for language learners and for natural language processing, which must recognize and interpret them as single units.

In research and practice, väljendite are studied within phraseology and lexicography, and they are important for dictionaries, language teaching, and computational linguistics. See also multiword expressions, idioms, collocations, and set phrases.