selitystavan

Selitystavan is a term found in some Finnish language grammars and teaching materials to refer to a hypothetical or descriptive way of signaling that a statement is being explained or justified. The term is not part of a universally standardized mood system in modern Finnish grammar; instead, it appears in historical and pedagogical sources as a label for discourse-level strategies that connect a claim with its explanation.

Etymology and concept

The name combines selitys, meaning explanation, with tapa or tavan, indicating a method or manner. In this sense, selitystavan denotes a mechanism—rather than a single fixed morphological form—for marking explanatory links within discourse. Its exact realization is not uniform across grammars and is often described as pragmatic or illocutionary, rather than as a dedicated morpho-syntactic paradigm.

Usage and interpretation

In descriptions that use the term, selitystavan is associated with constructions, particles, or connective devices that foreground justification or clarification for a prior proposition. It is typically discussed in the context of discourse organization, where a speaker intends to reduce ambiguity by making the explanatory relation explicit. Because it is not a guaranteed or obligatory feature of Finnish, its analysis varies among authors and teaching traditions.

Relation to other concepts

Scholars who mention selitystavan often compare it to explanatory or explicative strategies found in other languages, such as certain particles or subordinate clauses that serve to justify a statement. It is sometimes treated as a subtype of discourse modality or as a pragmatic tool rather than as a discrete, morphologically defined mood.

History and reception

The term appears in some older grammars and in certain contemporary pedagogical resources. It remains contested and is not universally adopted in Finnish linguistics. Many grammars prefer analyses that account for explanatory connections via conjunctions, particles, or clause structure rather than invoking a separate mood.

See also

Finnish grammar, mood, evidentiality, explicative particle, discourse marker.