Andgangspunkt

Andgangspunkt is a noun used in Scandinavian languages to denote a starting point, point of departure, or fundamental basis for something. In Danish and Norwegian, the more common terms are udgangspunkt and utgangspunkt, respectively. Andgangspunkt is typically regarded as nonstandard or archaic in contemporary Danish and Norwegian and may appear in older texts, dialectal writing, or as a mistaken spelling influenced by related forms in other languages.

Etymology and cognates: The word is a composite that appears to combine a directional or situating element with a word for point. In German, a closely related form is Angangspunkt, which shares the same conceptual meaning, though it is not widely used in modern standard German either. The relationship among these forms reflects broader Germanic language patterns for expressing origin, basis, or reference.

Usage: The term describes the initial frame for analysis, planning, or argumentation. It can refer to the basis from which a discussion proceeds, the reference point used to assess a situation, or the starting assumption underlying a project or study. In practice, writers and speakers typically prefer udgangspunkt or utgangspunkt, reserving andgangspunkt for dialectal, historical, or stylistic contexts.

See also: udgangspunkt, utgangspunkt, referencepunkt, startpunkt, Angangspunkt.