viitataanko

Viitataanko is the interrogative present passive form of the Finnish verb viitata, meaning to refer to or to cite. The form translates roughly as “is it referred to?” and is used to ask whether something is being referenced or cited in a text, argument, or discussion.

Formation and usage: In Finnish, the present passive is formed with the suffix -taan or -tään, and for viitata the form in the passive present is viitataan. To turn the statement into a yes‑no question, the interrogative particle -ko/-kö is added after the verb, yielding viitataanko. The subject is typically implicit, since the passive voice does not specify who performs the action. This construction is common in academic, editorial, and journalistic contexts when querying whether a source or reference has been made.

Examples: Viitataanko tässä lähteeseen? and Viitataanko tähän tutkimukseen? These questions ask whether the given source or study is being referenced in the current discussion or document.

Relation and contrasts: Viitataanko belongs to a broader family of Finnish forms used to discuss references and citations. Related terms include viitata (to refer/cite), viittaus (a reference or citation), and lähde (source). While active forms like viittaa or viittaisi focus on who makes the reference, viitataanko expresses the question of whether any reference exists in a given context.

See also: viitata, viittaus, lähde, viittausmerkintä.