painutus

Painotus is a Finnish noun meaning emphasis, stress, or focus. It derives from the verb painottaa, which means to emphasize, stress, or highlight. The term is used across several domains, including language studies, rhetoric, education, and writing.

In linguistics, painotus refers to the placement of stress within a word or phrase. In Finnish, the general rule is that the primary lexical stress falls on the first syllable, and discussions of painotus may address exceptions, borrowed words, or prosodic emphasis at the phrase level. The concept is used to describe how emphasis affects meaning, rhythm, and intelligibility in spoken language.

In rhetoric and communication, painotus denotes foregrounding a point or idea—using vocal emphasis, repetition, or other means to draw attention in speech or writing. In education and curriculum design, painotukset refer to the emphasis areas or priorities within a program or course, indicating topics that are given special attention in teaching and assessment.

In writing and publishing, the term can also describe emphasis markers used in text, such as bolding or italics, though such usage depends on the specific style guide or context. The related forms include painottaa (to emphasize) and painotus (the act or result of emphasizing).

See also: painottaa, painotus, stress (linguistics).