liiallisuutta

Liiallisuutta is a Finnish noun that denotes the state or quality of being excessive, or the degree to which something surpasses what is reasonable or necessary. It corresponds to English words such as excessiveness or overdoing. The concept is widely used across everyday speech, journalism, and academic writing to describe quantities, behaviors, or standards that exceed appropriate limits.

The term is formed from the root word liiallinen, meaning excessive or over the top, combined with the common noun-forming suffix -isuus. In Finnish, liiallisuus is a general label for excess, and it can be applied to a wide range of domains, from material consumption to emotional expression. The form liiallisuutta appears as the partitive case in sentences where the noun is not the subject, such as expressions that discuss or evaluate excess in various contexts.

Usage and nuance

In everyday language, liiallisuus typically carries a negative or critical nuance, signaling a need for moderation. It can describe concrete quantities, such as liiallisuus kulutuksessa (excess in consumption), or more abstract phenomena, such as liiallisuus draamassaan or liiallisuus sensaatiotiedotuksessa in media. In rhetoric and criticism, the concept is linked to exaggeration or hyperbole, where liiallisuus may be intentional or perceived as inappropriate. In ethics and philosophy, discussions of moderation (kohtuullisuus) address liiallisuus as something to be avoided in pursuit of balanced conduct.

See also: excess, moderation, hyperbole, liiallinen, kohtuullisuus.