väitettiin

Väitettiin is the third-person singular past passive form of the Finnish verb "väittää," which translates to "to claim" or "to assert." In its passive construction, "väitettiin" indicates that a claim was made, but the subject performing the claiming is either unknown, unimportant, or deliberately omitted. This grammatical form is commonly used in Finnish to convey information that is attributed to someone or some source without specifying who that source is.

The use of "väitettiin" often implies a degree of skepticism or detachment from the claim itself. It can be employed to report hearsay, rumors, or allegations without necessarily endorsing their truthfulness. For example, if a news report states that "hänen syyllisyyttään väitettiin" (his guilt was claimed), it suggests that such a claim was made, but the report itself does not confirm or deny it. This passive voice allows for the reporting of statements or accusations while maintaining neutrality. It is a versatile construction found in various contexts, including formal writing, everyday conversation, and legal proceedings.