Fiktionale

Fiktionale is a term used in media theory and literary studies to refer to the fictional layer or domain within a narrative or media ecosystem. It denotes the set of imagined elements, rules, and structures that coherently constitute a fictional world, distinct from the real world but capable of influencing real-world perception and behavior.

The etymology of the term blends the German word fiktion with a suffix that forms a mass noun, and it has appeared in German-language scholarship since the early 21st century to discuss the design and organization of fictional systems within media works.

In analysis, Fiktionale describes the self-contained logic and ontological status of fictional content, including diegetic elements, world rules, and narrative causality. It also encompasses meta-fictional instances where audiences are aware of the fictional status. The concept helps distinguish between content that belongs to the fictional world and narrative devices that simulate or mimic reality, clarifying how audiences experience immersion and coherence.

In practice, discussions of a transmedia franchise or cross-media project may treat the Fiktionale as the shared backstory, character bios, and in-universe technologies that are consistent across media, while real-world promotional materials occupy the boundary area between fiction and reality.

Reception of the term is mixed; some critics find it a useful shorthand for analyzing coherence and audience engagement, while others prefer related concepts such as worldbuilding, diegesis, or metafiction to describe similar phenomena.