Förteckningen

Förteckningen is a Swedish noun meaning the catalog, list, or register of items. It is used to designate a compiled inventory in a wide range of contexts, including administration, archives, libraries, and museums. When capitalized and used as a title, Förteckningen can denote a specific published list or catalog.

Etymology and meaning stem from the Swedish word for drawing or marking (teckning) with the prefix för-, indicating creation or preparation of a list. The term conveys the idea of organizing and documenting entries in a systematic way, often with reference to sources, classifications, or categories.

Common uses include official inventories of archival holdings (forteckning över arkivhandlingar), bibliographic or library catalogs, and inventories of property or assets. In archives and museums, an appropriate Förteckningen serves as a finding aid that helps researchers locate items, understand scope, and assess relevance. In legal or administrative settings, it may describe an enumerated set of rules, documents, or premises.

In culture and publishing, Förteckningen can appear as a title for a work that presents a curated list or directory related to a specific theme, collection, or topic. The term can also appear in plural form, förteckningar, to indicate multiple inventories or lists.

Related concepts include katalog (catalog), register, and index. The term is common in Swedish-language contexts and is typically contrasted with more general terms for lists by its emphasis on an intentional, curated compilation.