Officialese (kantseliit)
Koosolek viidi läbi sounds like a form. Koosolek toimus or Pidasime koosoleku says the same thing plainly.
How It Works
The word kantseliit comes from kantselei (office). It names wordy, stiff style that sounds like a government form. You will meet it in official letters, reports and some news, so it helps to recognise it and to know the plain version.
1. A noun plus an empty verb. The action hides in a noun and the verb does no work:
- Labor teostab pinnaseproovide võtmist. → Labor võtab pinnaseproove. (The lab takes soil samples.)
- Õpetaja viib läbi õpilaste lugemisoskuse kontrollimise. → Õpetaja kontrollib õpilaste lugemisoskust. (The teacher checks the pupils' reading skills.)
- Konstruktsioonide projekteerimine toimub arvutis. → Konstruktsioone projekteeritakse arvutis. (The structures are designed on a computer.)
Toimuma is fine with a word for an event: Koosolek toimus kell kümme (The meeting took place at ten). It is empty only when it carries a -mine noun.
2. Läbi viima. Its own meaning is to push something through against resistance. In officialese it just means "do". Use the real verb, or korraldama or pidama: Küsitlus viidi läbi → Korraldasime küsitluse. Koosolek viidi läbi → Koosolek toimus or Pidasime koosoleku.
3. Omama. Omama means to own property: Relva tohib omada ainult loaga (You may own a gun only with a permit). For education, knowledge, meaning and other things you simply have, use the X-l on construction: Kandidaat omab kahte kõrgharidust → Kandidaadil on kaks kõrgharidust. Even for property, everyday Estonian prefers Tal on maja (He has a house).
4. Other signals. Antud used for "this" (antud juhul → sel juhul), läbi used for "by means of" (läbi interneti → interneti kaudu), and long chains of genitives.
Examples (6)
- Koosolek toimus reedel.
The meeting took place on Friday.
The plain version of Koosolek viidi reedel läbi.
- Õpetaja kontrollib õpilaste lugemisoskust.
The teacher checks the pupils' reading skills.
The action is the verb itself, not a -mine noun after viib läbi.
- Kandidaadil on kaks kõrgharidust.
The candidate has two university degrees.
The X-l on construction replaces Kandidaat omab kahte kõrgharidust.
- Labor võtab pinnaseproove.
The lab takes soil samples.
Plainer than Labor teostab pinnaseproovide võtmist.
- Sel juhul tuleb täita uus taotlus.
In that case, you need to fill in a new application.
Sel juhul is the plain form of antud juhul.
- Taotluse saab esitada interneti kaudu.
You can submit the application online.
Kaudu (via) is the careful choice; läbi interneti is officialese.
Common Mistakes
Using omama for having family or other things that are not property.
Ta omab kahte last.Tal on kaks last.Intended meaning: he has two children. Omama means owning property, so it cannot be used for people. Use the X-l on construction.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Officialese piles up verbal nouns.
Related Patterns
- mul onHaving (Mul on)
The X-l on construction is the plain way to say "have" instead of omama.
Level 1 - By (poolt) in Formal Writing
Another feature of official style that careful writing replaces with an active sentence.
Level 5 - kaudu / abil / järgiVia, By Means of, According to
Kaudu and abil are the careful replacements for läbi meaning "by means of".
Level 4 - Stacked Genitives
Long genitive chains are a common sign of heavy official style.
Level 6 - Legal Style
Legal texts share many features with officialese, but some are fixed legal wording.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice Officialese (kantseliit) in Bubblegum
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