Krympingen skjer under brenningen av steingodset.

Krymping is a noun meaning shrinkage or shrinking, formed from the verb å krympe (to shrink).

The ending -en makes it definite singular, so krympingen means the shrinkage or the shrinking.

In technical or explanatory writing, Norwegian often uses the definite form when talking about a specific process already understood from the context. So:

• krymping = shrinkage in general
• krympingen = the shrinkage, the specific shrinkage being discussed

Both can be possible in different contexts, but krympingen sounds more specific here.

Skjer is the present tense of å skje, which means to happen, to occur, or to take place.

So krympingen skjer means:

• the shrinkage happens
• the shrinkage occurs

In a sentence like this, occurs is often the most natural English equivalent because the style is technical and process-focused.

Because the sentence is describing an event or process, not simply identifying something.

• er = is/are
• skjer = happens/occurs

So:

• Krympingen er ... would sound like you are defining or describing what the shrinkage is.
• Krympingen skjer ... says when or during what process the shrinkage takes place.

English works the same way:

• The shrinkage is... = description/definition
• The shrinkage occurs... = event/process

Not in this sentence. Here under means during.

Norwegian under can be used both:

• spatially: under bordet = under the table
• temporally: under møtet = during the meeting

So under brenningen means during the firing, not beneath the firing.

In everyday language, brenning comes from å brenne (to burn), but in ceramics it usually means firing in a kiln.

So here brenningen is best understood as:

• the firing
• the kiln firing process

That is why a direct English word-for-word translation like the burning would sound wrong in this context. This is specialized vocabulary.

Also, just like krympingen, the ending -en makes it definite:

• brenning = firing
• brenningen = the firing

It belongs to brenningen, not to krympingen.

So the structure is:

• Krympingen = the shrinkage
• skjer = occurs
• under [brenningen av steingodset] = during [the firing of the stoneware]

In other words, av steingodset tells you what is being fired.

So:

• brenningen av steingodset = the firing of the stoneware

This is a very common Norwegian pattern with noun phrases formed from verbs.

Yes, av can mean of, by, or from, depending on context.

Here it works like English of in a phrase such as:

• the firing of the stoneware
• the production of ceramics
• the opening of the exhibition

So in brenningen av steingodset, av marks the thing affected by the action expressed in the noun brenningen.

It does not mean that the stoneware is actively doing the firing. It means the stoneware is the thing being fired.

Because steingods is a neuter noun in Norwegian:

• et steingods = a stoneware item / stoneware
• steingodset = the stoneware

For many neuter nouns, the definite singular ending is -et.

So:

• hus → huset
• bord → bordet
• steingods → steingodset

In this sentence, it refers to the specific stoneware being discussed.

Because Norwegian usually puts definiteness on the end of the noun instead of using a separate article.

That is why you get:

• krymping → krympingen
• brenning → brenningen
• steingods → steingodset

So the idea of the is built into the noun itself.

A separate word such as den, det, or de is mainly added when there is an adjective:

• steingodset = the stoneware
• det ferdige steingodset = the finished stoneware

Because Norwegian main clauses normally follow the verb-second rule, often called V2.

That means the finite verb usually comes in the second position:

• Krympingen | skjer | under brenningen av steingodset.

If you move another element to the front, the verb still stays second:

• Under brenningen av steingodset | skjer | krympingen.

This is very different from English, where changing the first element does not usually force the verb into second position in the same way.

Yes. A more direct version would be:

• Steingodset krymper under brenningen.

That means the stoneware shrinks during firing.

The original sentence is more formal and technical because it focuses on the process itself by turning verbs into nouns:

• krympingen = the shrinkage
• brenningen = the firing

This style is common in textbooks, manuals, and technical descriptions. The simpler version is more everyday and easier to follow.