kertomuksellinen

Kertomuksellinen is a Finnish adjective meaning narrative or story-based, derived from kertomus (story) with the suffix -ksellinen. The term is used mainly in literary criticism and media studies to describe works whose primary principle is storytelling, rather than argumentation or description. A kertomuksellinen text organizes material around events, causality, and character development, and employs narrative devices such as chronology, scenes, and point of view to convey meaning.

In literature, the concept appears in discussions of narrative style, where a text may be described as kertomuksellinen if its logic is driven by plot and sequence rather than expository statements. In film and documentaries, the label can refer to a storytelling-oriented approach that structures content through episodes and character-driven arcs. The expression can also apply to non-fiction genres such as memoirs or reportage where storytelling is central.

In education and writing theory, kertomuksellinen kirjoittaminen refers to narrative or story-based writing tasks aimed at developing plot, setting, and characterization. The word is often contrasted with kuvaileva (descriptive) or expository writing.

Etymology: It compounds kertomus (story) with the suffix -ksellinen, yielding an adjective that signals a narrative orientation. Related terms include kerronta (narration), kertomus (story), and narratiivinen (narrative in a broader sense). The term may appear alongside or interchangeably with narratiivinen in some contexts, though usage varies by discipline.