Omtale

Omtale is a word used in Norwegian and Danish with meanings related to mentioning or referring to something, and, as a verb, to discuss or refer to it. As a noun, it denotes a mention, reference, or the treatment of a subject, especially in media or discourse. As a verb, it means to mention or discuss something.

Etymology and cognates: The term is built from om, meaning about, and tale, meaning speech or talk. It is common in both Norwegian and Danish and shares its roots with related forms in Scandinavian languages, where it covers both the act of mentioning and the resulting reference or coverage.

Usage and examples: Omtale is widely used in journalism, academia, and everyday language to describe how something is presented or discussed. Compounds include medieomtale (media coverage) and omtale i pressen (coverage in the press). In Norwegian, you might say that a book or event received extensive omtale, or that a politician was the subject of much omtale. The term can refer to both incidental mentions and more substantial coverage.

Grammar and forms: As a noun, omtale inflects as omtalen (the mention) and omtaler (the mentions or plural form). As a verb, å omtale means to mention or discuss; present tense is omtaler, past tense is omtalt. The word’s usage can be formal in written language and common in spoken discourse, especially in media-related contexts.

Related concepts: Omtale is closely linked to media coverage and public discourse. In many contexts, it contrasts with omtale as a simple mention versus a more comprehensive exposure or treatment in reporting.