tolkningsfleksibel

Tolkningsfleksibel is a Swedish adjective describing a text, rule, standard, or system that invites or tolerates multiple reasonable interpretations rather than enforcing a single fixed meaning. The term is often used in legal, policy, and communicative contexts to discuss the degree of interpretive discretion allowed by a rule or guideline.

The word is a compound of tolknings (interpretation) and flexibel (flexible). In contemporary Swedish, the usual form for “flexible” is flexibel; tolkningsfleksibel is a creative construction used to foreground interpretive flexibility. It is not a formal technical term by itself, but a descriptive label used in analysis and debate.

Used in jurisprudence, public administration, and organizational guidelines, tolkningsfleksibel language or design means guidelines can accommodate diverse situations or perspectives. For example, a tolkningsfleksibel directive may permit different agencies to apply it in context-specific ways, sustaining adaptability while risking inconsistent outcomes or reduced legal certainty.

Proponents argue that interpretive flexibility supports responsiveness to changing circumstances; critics caution that it can erode predictability and accountability. The balance between clarity and adaptability is central to discussions of tolkningsfleksibel norms and texts.