grundtekst

Grundtekst is a term used in Nordic publishing and typography to refer to the main body of text on a page or in a document. It denotes the central, continuous text that conveys the primary content, as opposed to elements such as headlines, captions, footnotes, sidebars, or pull-quotes. The grundtekst forms the readable core of the work and is typically where paragraph structure, sentence flow, and readability are most important.

Etymology and scope: The word combines grund, meaning foundation or base, with tekst, meaning text. In Scandinavian contexts, grundtekst is used to distinguish the principal text from ancillary or decorative text components. While the concept corresponds to what English speakers would call the body text or main text, the exact terminology can vary by country and publishing tradition.

Usage: In design and layout, determining the grundtekst involves selecting typographic settings (font family, size, line length, leading) that optimize legibility for the main content. It is also a practical label in workflow and style guides, signaling which text will be most prominent in editing and proofreading processes.

Relation to other elements: The grundtekst sits alongside other page elements such as headings (overskrift or tittel), captions (bildeforklaring), footnotes (foddnoter), and sidebars. In translation and editing contexts, the grundtekst may be distinguished from translated versions or from editorial commentary.

Language notes: The term is primarily found in Danish and Norwegian typographic and publishing literature. In English, the same concept is usually described as body text or main text, rather than grundtekst.

See also: body text, main text, typography, layout, publishing.