kansatieteellinen

Kansatieteellinen is a Finnish adjective that translates to "ethnological" or "folkloristic" in English. It refers to matters pertaining to ethnology or folklore, disciplines that study human cultures and their traditions. Ethnology, in particular, focuses on the comparative study of different societies and cultures, examining their origins, development, and relationships. Folklore, on the other hand, is concerned with the traditions of a particular people or group, including their myths, legends, customs, music, and oral literature.

When something is described as kansatieteellinen, it implies it is related to the collection, analysis, or interpretation of cultural phenomena from a scholarly perspective. This can include research into a community's social structures, belief systems, material culture, or artistic expressions. For instance, a kansatieteellinen study might investigate the evolution of wedding customs in a specific region or analyze the symbolism within traditional Finnish folk music. The term emphasizes an academic and systematic approach to understanding cultural heritage and human behavior within its societal context. It is often used in academic titles, research papers, and museum exhibit descriptions to denote the subject matter's disciplinary focus.