omtolkades

Omtolkades is a Swedish verb form that functions as the past passive of the verb omtolka, meaning to reinterpret or reinterpretate. The construction denotes that something was subject to reinterpretation in the past, rather than actively reinterpreting it oneself. In practice, it is used to describe when actors such as critics, historians, editors, or researchers reframe or revise the interpretation of a text, event, or set of data.

Grammatically, omtolka is a transitive verb, and omtolkades corresponds to the simple past passive: “was reinterpreted.” The agent performing the reinterpretation is typically expressed with the preposition av, as in av kritikerna (by the critics). This form is common in formal writing, journalism, and academic discourse, where emphasis is placed on the resulting interpretation rather than the doer.

Usage and nuance: omtolkades can indicate a deliberate reinterpretation or a shift in understanding due to new evidence, methods, or perspectives. It is often used in discussions of literature, history, media analysis, and law to signal that readings or conclusions have changed over time. It should not be confused with omtolkades as the present passive or other tense variations, which convey different temporal or aspectual meaning.

Examples:

- Texten omtolkades av kritikerna efter nya arkivfynd. (The text was reinterpreted by the critics after new archival finds.)

- Historien omtolkades i efterdyningarna av disputten. (The history was reinterpreted in the wake of the dispute.)

See also: tolka, omtolkning, interpretation.