substantiviska

Substantiviska is a term used in some linguistic traditions to describe elements that function syntactically as nouns (substantives) even though their origin may lie in other parts of speech. The label is found in Nordic grammar writings and in broader typological discussions, where it refers to nominal-like forms that arise through nominalization or the use of non-noun categories in noun positions.

In practice, substantiviska forms act as nouns within sentences. They can occupy determiner-noun phrases, serve as subjects or objects, and sometimes bear noun-like inflection in languages that mark number or definiteness. They may be created by adjectives used substantively (substantivized adjectives), by pronouns or numerals employed as nouns, or by other morphemes whose function is noun-like in a given clause. A common illustration in English is expressions like “the rich” or “the young,” where an adjective or adjective-like form refers to a class of people rather than to a specific property of a single individual.

The exact status and naming of substantiviska vary by grammar tradition. Some frameworks treat them as a distinct lexical or functional category, while others analyze them as a type of noun phrase with origins in other parts of speech. In many descriptions, they are closely related to nominalization and to the broader study of how languages form and use noun-like elements from non-noun origins.

See also: Nominalization, Substantiv, Noun phrase, Part of speech.