ankning

Ankning is a term used in Swedish and other Nordic languages to describe the act of anchoring or fixing something firmly in place. It is derived from the noun ankare, meaning anchor, and is used across several technical and practical domains.

In maritime contexts, ankning refers to the practice of securing a vessel with an anchor to resist wind, current, and waves. It involves selecting an appropriate anchor type for the seabed, deploying it, and managing the anchor rope or chain (rode) to achieve stability while allowing controlled movement in changing conditions. Safety considerations include preventing drag, ensuring scope is adequate, and complying with local regulations and environmental concerns.

In civil engineering and construction, ankning describes the installation of anchors to stabilize structures or to fix elements to rock or soil. Ground anchors and rock anchors are used for retaining walls, hillside stabilization, and seismic retrofits. The load is transferred to more stable strata through the anchor system, which may include grouted anchors, post-tensioning, or mechanical fasteners.

In psychology and behavioral economics, anchoring—referred to in Swedish as ankning—describes a cognitive bias in which an initial piece of information acts as a reference point that strongly influences subsequent judgments, estimates, or decisions. The effect can appear in pricing, negotiation, and forecasting and is often mitigated through explicit decision protocols and consideration of multiple reference points.

See also: anchorage, anchor, ground anchor, anchoring bias.