kaudne

Kaudne is an Estonian adjective meaning indirect or oblique. It describes things that are not direct or explicit, such as connections, explanations, effects, or references that are inferred or implied rather than stated outright. The term is commonly used in academic, journalistic, legal, and everyday language to contrast with direct or explicit expressions.

In discourse, kaudne can refer to indirect claims, evidence, or conclusions, where the link between cause and effect or between premise and conclusion is not immediate. It is also used for indirect speech, allusions in literature, and for describing relationships that are not straightforward or transparently manifested. In policy or law, kaudsed arguments or kaudsed mõjud may indicate consequences or rationales that are not plainly articulated but can be deduced from surrounding context.

Common examples include kaudne mõju (indirect effect), kaudne väide (indirect assertion), and kaudne viide (indirect reference). The antonym is otsene (direct, explicit). The term often appears in analytical writing, where authors distinguish between kaudseid tegureid and otseseid tegureid to clarify causality or justification.

Etymology of kaudne is native to Estonian, with related Finnic terms in the region that express notions of indirectness, though precise historical derivations are not always documented in standard dictionaries.

See also: otsene (direct).