förtiga

Förtiga is a Swedish verb meaning to deliberately withhold or suppress information, details, or disclosures in communication. It is used to describe acts of strategic silence where a person or organization limits what is shared to influence perceptions, decisions, or outcomes. While not a highly formal term, it appears in both everyday language and media commentary to critique selective disclosure.

Etymology and form: Förtiga is formed from the prefix för- ("for-, forth") and the verb tiga ("to be silent"), giving a sense of causing silence or suppressing speech. The term is primarily encountered in modern Swedish and is typically used as a transitive verb with an object, such as förtiga information, förtiga risker, or förtiga detaljer.

Usage and nuance: In political discourse, journalism, and corporate communications, förtiga is used to label or analyze acts of withholding information. It often carries a critical or negative connotation, implying that withholding details can mislead or misinform. However, it can also be used descriptively, simply noting that information was not disclosed without judgment.

Relation to related concepts: Förtiga relates to tiga (to be silent) and to broader ideas in communication ethics and risk management, such as selective disclosure, strategic ambiguity, and information withholding. It can be studied within sociolinguistics as a pragmatic strategy in information management and credibility signaling.

See also: tiga, avslöja, selective disclosure, silence in communication, information ethics.