narrantis

Narrantis is a term that appears in a limited range of discussions within narrative theory and speculative literature to denote a category of narrator or narration that foregrounds the act of telling itself. It is not a widely standardized label, and its usage varies across sources, but it is typically employed to describe texts in which the mechanics of storytelling are a central object of attention rather than merely a vehicle for events.

Etymology and sense: The word evokes Latin roots related to narrating, notably narro, narr- to tell. The form narrantis is suggestive of a participial or agentive sense, implying “the narrating one” or “the act of narrating” rather than a straightforward character-narrator. This association signals an interest in self-conscious or process-oriented aspects of storytelling.

Usage and meanings: In one reading, narrantis refers to narrators who explicitly comment on their own reliability, methods, or constraints, thereby turning narration into a subject of inquiry. In another sense, it serves as a theoretical category for texts that embed multiple levels of narration, direct audience address, or deliberate interruptions of seamless storytelling. The term is sometimes used to distinguish a self-referential or metanarrative mode from traditional third- or first-person narration.

Reception and critique: Because narrantis is not widely standardized, some scholars treat it as synonymous with metanarration, metafiction, or frame narrative, while others view it as a distinct emphasis on the performative aspects of narration. Critics note that the lack of a consistent definition can lead to overlap with existing concepts and limit cross-textual comparisons.

See also: Metanarration, Metafiction, Narration, Narrator, Self-reflexive literature.