Transmediality is a term used in intermediality studies, narratology, and new media studies (in particular in the phrase ‘transmedia storytelling’ derived from Henry Jenkins), to describe phenomena which are non-media specific, meaning not connected to a specific medium, and can therefore be realized in a large number of different media, such as literature, art, film, or music.
[1][2][3] The term transmediality was first used in this sense by Irina O. Rajewsky in her publication Intermedialität (2002) and defined as "medienunspezifische Phänomene, die in verschiedenen Medien mit den dem jeweiligen Medium eigenen Mitteln ausgetragen werden können, ohne dass hierbei die Annahme eines kontaktgebenden Ursprungsmediums wichtig oder möglich ist.
Transmedial phenomena can occur on the content level, for instance in the form of myths or legends that have become part of a culture and lost their connection to any specific medium.
The culture of sensibility had a great impact on Western Europe in the eighteenth century, and its characteristic traits, most importantly the celebration and expression of emotions such as love, care, and pity, can be seen in different kinds of media and are not connected to any specific medium.
In narratology and new media studies, the term transmediality is frequently used to refer to the concept of transmedia storytelling, which was coined by Henry Jenkins in 2006.