anledningen

Anledningen is a noun used in Swedish and Norwegian to denote the reason, cause, or occasion for something. It refers to what motivates an action or explains an event. In Swedish the definite singular form is anledningen, while the indefinite form is en anledning (and the plural anledningar). In Norwegian Bokmål the forms are similar, with en anledning for the indefinite singular and anledningen for the definite singular; the plural is anledninger.

Etymology traces the word to a verb sense meaning to lead or cause to begin, with a noun-forming suffix -ning. In this view anledning designates that which leads to or occasions a result. The term is closely related to other words for justification, such as orsaksoredsk, skäl, or anledning, but it emphasizes the event or motive that explains why something happened rather than just a generic cause.

Usage and nuance: anledning is commonly used in formal or written contexts to state the justification for a decision, action, or event. It is often followed by till or av in Swedish, as in anledningen till mötet or anledningen till beslutet. In Norwegian, you will also see i anledning av meaning “on the occasion of” or “in connection with” certain events. Examples: Swedish – “Anledningen till beslutet var ekonomiska skäl.” Norwegian – “Hva var anledningen til møtet?”