bortsprungna

Bortsprungna is a Swedish adjective derived from the verb bortspringa, meaning to run away or escape. The term describes something that has run away or escaped and is not where it is expected to be. It is used for people, animals, or objects and is most common in historical, legal, or literary contexts rather than in everyday speech. In modern Swedish, other terms such as rymt or flykt kan appear in more common usage, but bortsprungna remains a recognizable descriptor in written language and older texts.

Etymology and form: The word combines the prefix bort-, meaning away, with springa, to run. As an adjective, bortsprungna agrees with the noun it modifies in number and gender. The plural form bortsprungna is typical, while neuter singular forms may appear as bortsprunnet in certain constructions.

Usage and examples: Bortsprungna is typically found in phrases describing escape or flight. For example, bortsprunna fångar refers to escaped prisoners, and bortsprungna djur to escaped animals. The construction is more likely to appear in reporting, historical narratives, or literary writing than in casual conversation. The term conveys a sense of someone or something that has departed from its expected location and remains unaccounted for.

See also: bortspringa, the verb from which the adjective is derived; flykt, meaning flight or escape; Försvunnen, meaning missing or unaccounted for.