Fictionalis

Fictionalis is a term used in discussions of literature and worldbuilding to denote the fictional aspects or elements of a work. It functions as an adjective meaning related to fiction and can be used to distinguish invented components from real-world ones within a narrative or analysis.

Etymology: Fictionalis derives from Latin roots meaning “of fiction.” In modern usage, it is adopted in theory and meta-narrative discussions to label invented content, devices, or layers within a text.

Usage and scope: In academic and craft contexts, fictionalis is used to refer to layers of fiction within a work, such as metafictional devices, stories-within-stories, or imagined worlds and systems. It can also describe fictional species, places, or technologies created for narrative purposes. The term helps analysts separate the fictional constructs from the author’s real-world context or the reader’s interpretation.

Examples: In a novel that includes a manuscript within the narrative, the outer narrative contains a fictionalis layer that frames events, while the embedded manuscript represents additional fictionalis content. In worldbuilding discourse, a mapped universe with its own laws and history is described as a fictionalis construct within the broader fictional work.

Limitations: The term is not widely standardized and may appear primarily in critical or theoretical writing. When used, it should be defined clearly to avoid ambiguity for general readers.

See also: Fiction, Metafiction, Worldbuilding, Narrative theory, Fictitious.