samhäl
Samhäl is a term that originated in early 19th‑century Swedish literature. It is a shortened form of the word samhälle, meaning "society" or "community," and was often used in a poetic sense to personify the collective life of a village or town. The word first appears in the diary of the Swedish writer Gustaf A. Bäckman in an 1825 manuscript, where he writes, "samhäl vilar i våra hjärtan när vi delar frukten av vårt arbete."
Over the next several decades, samhäl entered a handful of folk songs and local proverbs in the
In the 20th century, the word fell into relative obscurity. Scholars of Swedish dialects have cited samhäl
In contemporary Sweden, samhäl is occasionally referenced in cultural studies as a remnant of pre‑industrial community