How does one express kinds in Norwegian? Which noun form indicates that dogs bark and cows are mammals? Is a plural noun form always necessary for genericity? This study presents a cognitive approach to genericity in Norwegian, utilizing three data sets: two surveys and a specialized corpus of generic texts. Both the surveys and corpus were analyzed using selected cognitive models and various statistical tests. By combining qualitative and quantitative methods, a comprehensive examination of genericity in Norwegian was conducted. The analysis integrates cognitive perspectives with other models, supported by statistical results. The research is grounded in a substantial data set focusing on actual language use and intuitions, collected from native Norwegian speakers. Additionally, the analyses draw from a carefully curated set of generic texts, specifically encyclopedic in nature. The specialized corpus created by the author was meticulously designed, considering both text genres and classification. Consequently, the author successfully applied and further developed the models proposed by Radden and Radden and Driven to align with the nuances of the Norwegian language.
