Fiktionaler

Fiktionaler is a term used in literary and media studies to refer to fictional elements that occur within a narrative. It describes components invented by the author and not claimed to be factual representations of real people, places, or events. In practice, the term can apply to characters, events, settings, and artifacts that are created within the fictional world. The concept is often contrasted with factual or documentary content that aims to represent real-world facts. Scholars discuss fiktionaler in terms of verisimilitude—the sense that the fictional world follows its own internal logic and rules.

The term can be used in meta-fictional discussions to analyze how an author signals the fiktional status of certain elements, for example through disclaimers, narrative voice, or self-conscious structure of the text. Fiktionaler elements may also be used to explore thematic ideas, social commentary, or world-building without making factual claims about reality. The recognition of fiktionaler relies on contextual cues such as genre, publication context, or the institutional basis of the work (a novel, a film, a video game).

Critically, the boundary between fiktionaler and non-fiction can be blurred in hybrid genres (docu-fiction, mockumentaries). Understanding fiktionaler helps readers interpret authorial intent, reliability, and the relationship between story and truth.