kyseenalaisen

Kyseenalaisen is the genitive singular form of the Finnish adjective kyseenalainen, which means questionable, dubious, or controversial. In Finnish, adjectives decline to agree with the noun they modify, including their case. The genitive singular ending for this type of adjective is -isen, yielding kyseenalaisen. It is used when the adjective describes a noun in the genitive case, for example: kyseenalaisen väitteen (of a questionable claim), kyseenalaisen tutkimuksen (of a dubious study).

Etymology and related forms: Kyseenalainen comes from the verb kyseenalaistaa, meaning to question or challenge. Related nouns include kyseenalaisuus (doubtfulness, suspicion) and verbs such as kyseenalaistaa, which share the same root and convey related semantic nuance.

Usage and nuance: The term conveys doubt, suspicion, or controversy surrounding a noun it modifies. It is common in analytical writing, journalism, and discussions where a claim, interpretation, method, or finding is not universally accepted. The genitive kyseenalaisen enables precise attribution of the quality to a specific item, such as a kyseenalaisen väitteen esitteleminen (presenting a questionable claim) or kyseenalaisen tulkinnan vaikutus (the impact of a dubious interpretation).

See also: kyseenalaistaa, kyseenalaisuus, kyseenalaistaminen.

Notes: Kyseenalaisen, as a form, is not a standalone lexical item but a grammatical shape used within sentences to express the genitive relationship with a noun.