gennemslaget

Gennemslaget is a Danish noun used to describe a decisive moment of breakthrough, penetration, or impact within a process, a work of art, or a strategic effort. In criticism and journalism, the term refers to the point at which a concept or narrative reveals its central idea or achieves a convincing effect, transforming earlier experimentation into a concrete result. The definite form gennemslaget is used when speaking of a specific breakthrough or turning point.

Etymologically, gennemslaget combines gennem (through) and slag (hit or strike). It is closely related to the more general noun gennemslag, which denotes a breakthrough or significant success, while gennemslaget marks a particular instance or instance-specific breakthrough in discourse or production.

Usage and contexts vary across fields. In literature, theatre, film, and music, gennemslaget can point to a scene, passage, or motif where the work’s core message becomes perceptible to the audience. In design or product development, it can describe the moment when an idea demonstrates its value and feasibility. In sports, it may be used metaphorically to denote a breakthrough against resistance. The term is common in Danish cultural critique and academic writing, where emphasis is placed on the quality and coherence of the breakthrough rather than on measurable metrics.

Overall, gennemslaget functions as a evaluative concept that highlights moments of clarity, impact, and successful realization within creative and strategic processes. See also gennemslag; the notion shares cross-linguistic parallels with terms for breakthrough and turning point.