skriftlig

Skriftlig is a Norwegian adjective meaning written or produced in writing, as opposed to muntlig, which denotes oral or spoken form. It describes material, statements, or communication that exists in written form and is commonly used to distinguish between different modes of expression or documentation in education, law, administration, and everyday language.

Etymology and usage notes: the word derives from the noun skrift, meaning writing, with the suffix -lig forming an adjective. The term is cognate with Danish and Swedish equivalents and is used in Norwegian across formal and informal contexts to indicate that something is in writing rather than spoken.

Common usages: skrifts is used in phrases such as skriftlig eksamen (written exam), et skriftlig svar (a written answer), en skriftlig avtale (a written agreement), and skriftlige dokumenter (written documents). It is frequently employed in education and law to contrast written forms with muntlige or oral forms, such as muntlig eksamen or muntlig framstilling. In administrative contexts, it can describe documents, statements, or declarations produced in writing, including skriftlig erklæring or other official records.

Formality and scope: skriftlig is a standard descriptive term in Norwegian and is widely understood in Nordic contexts. It applies to both physical and digital written material and is commonly used in everyday language as well as in formal texts. Related terms include the contrastive category muntlig, and, in Danish, skriftlig with the same meaning.