folkenes

Folkenes is a Scandinavian-language possessive form meaning “the peoples’” or “of the peoples.” It is used to refer to multiple ethnic or national groups collectively, rather than a single group. The form is built from the noun for people (such as folk or folke) with a genitive plural ending, producing a construction that appears in formal or historical texts.

In usage, folkenes typically appears in phrases that discuss rights, status, or actions of more than one group. Examples in translation include expressions like folkenes rettigheter (the rights of the peoples) or folkenes selvbestemmelse (the self-determination of the peoples). The exact spelling and pronunciation can vary by language (for example, Norwegian, Danish, or Swedish varieties), but the general function as a plural genitive marker is common across these languages.

Because folkenes operates as a grammatical form rather than a distinct concept, it is most often encountered in written texts that address political, historical, or sociocultural topics rather than as a standalone idea. When encountered in English-language sources, it is usually translated as “the peoples’” or rendered in context as referring to multiple groups rather than a single nation.

See also: folk, folket, folkens, self-determination, minority rights

Note: The term is primarily a linguistic and stylistic device within Scandinavian languages and may not have a separate entry in all encyclopedias.