ylisuurettua

Ylisuurettua is a Finnish linguistic and rhetorical term used to describe statements, representations, or depictions that are presented as more extensive or significant than warranted by evidence. The form is a participial adjective derived from the idea of exaggeration, formed with the prefix yli- meaning over and the root related to suur- meaning big, combined with the participial suffix -ttua.

Etymology and form

The term combines yli- (over) with suur- (big) and the participial suffix -ttua, creating an adjective that denotes exaggeration or overstatement. In usage, ylisuurettua can function as an attributive or predicative descriptor, commonly appearing in plural or singular forms depending on the noun it modifies.

Usage

Ylisuurettua is used mainly in media critique, political discourse, journalism, and academic analysis to label claims, statistics, or depictions that appear inflated relative to available evidence. It often carries a negative or corrective connotation, signaling skepticism toward the credibility or proportionality of the presented material. Typical contexts include discussions of exaggerated statistics, sensational media coverage, or overstated marketing claims. The term can appear in various inflected forms to agree with the noun in number and case, for example ylisuurettuja väitteitä or ylisuurettua kuvausta.

See also

Hyperbole and exaggeration in rhetoric; liioittelu (Finnish for exaggeration); media literacy and critical discourse analysis; Finnish grammar and participles.

Notes

As a descriptive label, ylisuurettua is used to characterize rhetoric or evidence rather than to assert a universal rule, and its appropriateness depends on the context and evidence available.