Hjemtengning

Hjemtengning is a Norwegian term that does not have a single, universally accepted definition. The word combines hjem, meaning home, with tengning or a related root tied to binding or tethering, which suggests bringing something from outside into the domestic sphere or adapting it for home life. Because the term appears in limited, specialized contexts, its exact sense varies by discipline.

In zoological or agricultural discussions, hjemtengning is often used to describe the process by which wild or semi-domesticated animals are brought under human care within a household or farm setting. This can include measures such as enclosure, feeding regimes, housing, behavioral conditioning, and selective breeding, with emphasis on integrating the animal into domestic management rather than on laboratory-style domestication.

Beyond animal husbandry, the term can also appear in cultural or material studies to denote the domestication or standardization of external resources, practices, or technologies so that they become part of everyday home life. In such usage, hjemtengning refers to making something familiar, manageable, or routine within the domestic context.

Because the term is not widely standardized, its precise meaning depends on the source; it may be used synonymously with taming, domestication, acculturation, or the domestication of artifacts and practices. Related terms include taming, domestication, acculturation, and domestication of technology. The concept is most often encountered in Norwegian-language scholarly or descriptive writings on agriculture, ethnography, or household life.