såkaldte

Såkaldte is a Danish adjective meaning "so-called." It is used before a noun to indicate that a label or designation is being attributed to something or someone, but that label is viewed as dubious, disputed, or not universally accepted. For example, såkaldte eksperter refers to people labeled as experts, with the nuance that their status as experts is questioned.

The word derives from så meaning "so" and kaldt, the past participle of kalde, "to call." The form såkaldt is neuter singular, while såkaldte is used for plural nouns. It appears attributively before a noun, as in de såkaldte eksperter (the so-called experts). In definite phrases, the definite article is marked on the noun, yielding de såkaldte eksperter.

Usage and connotation: while såkaldte can be neutral in some contexts, it often carries a skeptical or pejorative nuance, signaling doubt about the legitimacy of the term or the people identified. It is common in media, opinion pieces, and everyday speech to distance the speaker from the label or to cast doubt on its authority. The construction is flexible, functioning mainly as a qualifier rather than altering the core meaning of the noun.

Cross-linguistic notes: Norwegian uses såkalte and Swedish så kallade with a closely related meaning and usage, reflecting shared Scandinavian roots. The term is part of a broader category of evaluative modifiers that frame claims or identities as contested.