deskriptiivselt

Deskriptiivselt is an Estonian adverb meaning "descriptively" or "in a descriptive manner." It is used to describe the way something is described, analyzed, or presented, emphasizing an account based on observation of actual usage rather than on normative judgments.

In linguistics and related fields, deskriptivne (descriptive) approaches aim to document language or phenomena as they appear in real use. Deskriptiivselt is commonly employed to indicate that an analysis or description treats data without prescribing rules or judging correctness. For example, one might say that a study examines language patterns deskriptivselt, focusing on how speakers actually use forms and structures.

The term is also used outside linguistics to denote descriptive descriptions of texts, styles, or data. It contrasts with preskriptivne (prescriptive) approaches, which enforce rules or norms. In statistics, deskriptiv statistikas or kirjelduse statistika describes data through summary measures rather than making inferences about a larger population; the corresponding adjective adverb phrases can appear as deskriptivselt in context.

Examples:

- Uuringus käsitleti keelekasutust deskriptiivselt, mitte normatiivsetena.

- Teksti kirjeldati deskriptiivselt, et näha keelekasutuse üldiseid tendentse.

Deskriptiivselt thus signals a neutral, evidence-based mode of description, widely used across disciplines to depict phenomena as they are observed, without normative evaluation.