Foranstillet

Foranstillet is a term used in Danish linguistics to describe a syntactic phenomenon in which a constituent is placed at the front of a clause, before the finite verb. Elements that are foranstillet serve to foreground or topicalize part of the sentence, often for emphasis or to set the discourse context.

The word is formed from for-, meaning before, and an-stillet, meaning placed or arranged. In Danish grammar, fronted constituents occupy the pre-field of a main clause and trigger the typical V2 word order, where the fronted element precedes the verb and the subject follows the verb. Foranstillet elements can be nouns, phrases, or entire clauses, and they can express time, place, manner, or objects.

Common uses include fronting of adverbial phrases (time or place) and, less frequently, fronting of objects for contrast or focus. The choice to foranstille a constituent often depends on discourse goals, such as highlighting a particular aspect of the sentence or guiding the listener’s attention. While fronting is common in Danish, its acceptability and nuance can vary with register and context; overuse or unusual fronting may sound marked.

Examples:

- I går spiste jeg æblet. (I går is fronted; “I går spiste jeg æblet.”)

- Bogen købte jeg i går. (Bogen is fronted to emphasize the object.)

See also: fronting (linguistics), topicalization, Danish syntax, word order.

Note: The concept is primarily discussed within Danish and Scandinavian linguistics and is analogous to fronting or preposing in other languages.