stämman

Stämman is the definite form of the Swedish noun stämma and has several related meanings depending on context. The most common are a meeting or assembly, a musical voice or part, and, by extension, a sense of harmony or agreement in a broader metaphorical sense.

As a meeting, stämman denotes the supreme decision-making body in many organizations, including associations, clubs, unions, cooperatives, and many companies. Common types are årsstämman, the annual general meeting, and extrastämman, an extraordinary meeting. Typical procedures include issuing a notice, presenting an agenda, ensuring a quorum, and voting. Minutes are kept, and matters such as electing board members, approving accounts and budgets, and revising bylaws are handled at stämman.

In music, stämma refers to a voice or part within a polyphonic texture. In a choir or ensemble, different stämmor correspond to voice parts (for example soprano, alto, tenor, bass) or instrumental lines that must fit together harmonically. The verb form stämma exists as well, meaning to tune or to harmonize in a musical sense, and by extension to align or fit together in other contexts.

Other uses are primarily idiomatic. The word can convey the idea of alignment, correspondence, or harmony between elements, and appears in various compounds and expressions in Swedish. The exact meaning of stämman is determined by context, with governance and music being the most prominent senses.