taustatietona

Taustatietona is a Finnish linguistic form derived from taustatieto (background information) with the translative suffix -na/-nä, meaning “as background information” or “in the role of background information.” It is used to indicate that certain information is presented to provide context rather than as main evidence.

In written Finnish, taustatietona is commonly employed in reports, scientific articles, and journalism to frame statements or data. For example: tilastot on esitetty taustatietona, or taustatietona voidaan mainita aiemmat tutkimukset. It can introduce a section that supplies background context or be used to qualify a claim by presenting contextual information.

Grammatically, taustatietona is the translative form of taustatieto. The translative expresses a role or state into which something is placed, here “as background information.” It behaves like other substantival phrases in -na/-nä and interacts with the sentence’s case marking and agreement rules.

In practice, taustatietona helps distinguish context from the main findings and should be used when background information is relevant but not the principal focus. Related terms include taustatieto (background information) and taustatutkimus (background research). See also Finnish grammar resources regarding translative case usage and the formation of -na/-nä compounds.