vekselvis

Vekselvis is a Norwegian adverb meaning alternately or in turn. It indicates that two or more actions or states occur one after another, or that options are presented in alternation. The term is used in both formal and everyday language to describe patterns of repetition, rotation, or sequence where participants or elements alternate.

Etymology and usage: Vekselvis combines veksel, referring to change or alternation, with the suffix -vis, which forms adverbs. It is primarily used to describe processes, responses, or actions that occur in rotation or one after another. While it can appear in both written and spoken Norwegian, it is more common in more precise or descriptive contexts.

Examples:

- Deltakerne svarte vekselvis på spørsmålene. (Participants answered the questions in turn.)

- Været skiftet vekselvis mellom sol og regn. (The weather alternated between sun and rain.)

- Hvert kapittel ble lest vekselvis av to redaktører. (Each chapter was read in turn by two editors.)

- Hun svarte vekselvis ja og nei. (She answered yes and no in turn.)

Relation to related terms: Vekselvis is distinct from henholdsvis, which means respectively and is used to link items to corresponding positions, whereas vekselvis emphasizes the act of alternating or taking turns. In contexts describing ongoing patterns of change, vekselvis complements other adverbs of manner or sequence.

See also: alternation, turn-taking, bytting, veksel.