tahallista

Tahallista is a term used in speculative fiction and cultural theory to describe a deliberate practice of layered interpretation achieved through ambiguous narrative design. Works labeled tahallista seek to enable multiple plausible readings about motives, causation, and outcomes, rather than presenting a single unambiguous conclusion. The term is associated with a tradition that foregrounds reader or viewer agency, inviting interpretive collaboration between creator and audience.

Etymology and origins: The term is coined in a Finnish-language-influenced fictional lexicon within the worldbuilding discourse of the Valaran coast, from tahal- meaning "to see" and -lista a suffix indicating practice. Although presented in fictional sources, parallels appear in real-world discussions of hermeneutics and ambiguity.

Practices: In literature, authors place interlocking clues across dialogue, setting, and symbol that do not resolve until the final moments, allowing alternate ethical or causal readings. In film and gaming, interactive design and non-linear storytelling are used to sustain several narrative arcs at once. In criticism, tahallista is used as a lens to examine how form shapes meaning and how audiences negotiate uncertainty.

Reception: Tahallista-based works are praised for intellectual engagement and imaginative risk, but critics argue that excessive ambiguity can frustrate readers seeking closure or transparency.

See also: Ambiguity in art, Hermeneutics, Narrative technique, Reader-response theory.

References: Notable fictional theorists include R. Vedal and periodical The Journal of Speculative Aesthetics.