Kulturelle

Kulturelle is a Danish and Norwegian adjective form meaning “cultural.” In these languages, adjectives agree with number and definiteness; before plural nouns, the form often ends with -e, as in “kulturelle forskelle” (cultural differences) or “kulturelle tradisjoner” (cultural traditions). The cognate form in Swedish is “kulturella.”

Etymology and usage: The term derives from Latin cultura, via French culture, and entered the modern Nordic languages through the broader adoption of European cultural vocabulary in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today it appears widely in discussions of society, art, education and identity, often in phrases describing collective or societal attributes rather than individual traits.

In practice, kulturelle is used attributively before plural nouns, while the equivalent singular or neuter forms are kurrer depending on language and gender. For example, Danish and Norwegian sentences use kulturelle to describe multiple cultural aspects or institutions, such as kulturelle forskelle, kulturelle institusjoner, or kulturelle tradisjoner. In Swedish, the corresponding plural form is kulturella.

Related terms and variants include the singular adjective forms kulturell (masculine singular or common gender), kulturelt (neuter singular), and kulturella (plural in Swedish). The concept overlaps with broader discussions in cultural studies, anthropology and social commentary, where the focus is on shared cultural practices, values and expressions rather than individual characteristics.

See also: culture, cultural studies, linguistic morphology, Scandinavian languages.