Legning

Legning is a noun used in Danish and Norwegian to describe two related meanings. In social and psychological contexts, it denotes a tendency, inclination, or predisposition toward something, such as a person’s beliefs, values, or preferences. It is commonly used to describe political, cultural, or ideological leanings, and can be phrased with expressions like “legning til” (leaning toward) or “legning mot” (inclination against). In everyday usage, legning conveys a natural or habitual orientation rather than a fixed decision.

In a physical or technical sense, legning refers to the tilt or angle of an object relative to vertical or horizontal. This sense is encountered in architecture, engineering, and geology when describing the slope of a hillside, the pitch of a roof, or the orientation of an instrument.

Usage and nuance: The term is neutral and broad. Context determines whether legning refers to personal disposition or to a measurable angle. In Danish and Norwegian, it is common to speak of someone’s legning toward particular values or toward a certain outcome, as well as to describe the legning of structures or landscapes.

Origin and scope: Legning is a North Germanic term primarily used in Danish and Norwegian. It is related to similar terms in neighboring languages and is understood across the region, with the exact sense clarified by surrounding words such as verbs and prepositions indicating inclination or tilt. See also leaning, inclination, orientation, tilt.