Fortjent

Fortjent is a Norwegian adjective meaning deserved or merited. It is used to describe outcomes that are believed to be appropriate given someone’s actions, such as praise, reward, or punishment. The term can refer to positive results (fortjent ros, fortjent anerkjennelse, fortjent belønning) as well as negative ones (fortjent straff).

Etymology and cognates: Fortjent derives from the verb fortjene, meaning to deserve. In Danish and Swedish, cognates exist (Danish fortjent, Swedish förtjänat), with similar meanings. The form is typical in both Bokmål and Nynorsk.

Grammatical use: Fortjent is usually used predicatively or attributively with a noun, for example fortjent ros, fortjent anerkjennelse, or fortjent belønning. The phrase å gjøre seg fortjent til noe means to earn something by merit, as in Han gjorde seg fortjent til en belønning. The word functions as a past participle adjective and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

Usage notes: Fortjent carries a normative element, reflecting a judgment that the outcome corresponds to the conduct or effort in question. It can be used in journalistic, literary, and everyday language to express that a reward or punishment is perceived as fair or deserved.

See also: merit, justice, deservingness, configuration of reward and punishment in moral philosophy.