fortellinger

Fortellinger is the Norwegian plural form of fortelling, a noun that denotes a narrative or tale. The singular fortelling refers to a short or concise account of events, real or imagined. The word is derived from the verb fortelle, meaning to tell, and is used across literature, journalism, and education to describe a structured, cohesive narrative.

In practice, fortellinger can take several forms. They are often short stories in literary contexts, but can also be folktales, anecdotes, or brief narratives within longer works. Common features include a focused plot, a limited cast of characters, and a clear sequence of events. Language is typically accessible, and themes may range from everyday life to folklore or moral reflection. In oral traditions, fortellinger circulated as spoken narratives before being recorded by writers and editors. In educational settings, students may practice writing fortellinger to develop skills in plot, point of view, and voice.

Culturally, fortellinger represent a core element of narrative prose in Norwegian literature, bridging folk storytelling and modern short fiction. The form is cognate with similar terms in related Scandinavian languages, such as Danish fortælling and Swedish berättelse, all referring to the act of telling and the resulting narrative.