Ivar Orgland
Encyclopedia
Carl Ivar Orgland was a Norwegian philologist, lexicographer, translator and poet. He is especially known for his work with Icelandic culture, and language
and literature
.
, finished
his secondary education in 1939, and graduated with the cand.mag.
degree in 1946 and the cand.philol. degree in 1949. From 1950 he worked at the University of Iceland
, as a research fellow
until 1952 and then lecturer in the Norwegian language
. He left the University of Iceland in 1960, and after two years as a high school teacher in Notodden, he was a lecturer in Norwegian at Lund University
from 1962 to 1969. In 1969 he also took the dr.philos. degree. The doctorate, on the subject of Stefán frá Hvítadal, was taken at the University of Iceland, and Orgland was the first foreigner to do so. From 1969 to 1973 he was a lecturer at the Oslo Teachers' College
, and from 1973 to 1979 he was a lecturer in the Icelandic language
at the University of Oslo
.
, especially Icelandic—both medieval and modern—but also from the more obscure Faroese language
and Modern Gutnish
. Anthologies include Islandske dikt frå Solarljod til opplysningstid, Islandske gullalderdikt and Islandske dikt frå vårt hundreår. For his body of work he won the Bastian Prize
, awarded by the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators
, in 1986. He also issued several original works of poetry, having debuted in 1950 with the work Lilje og sverd ('Lily and Sword'). He has also written Norwegian-Icelandic dictionaries. During his younger days, he was also a tenor
singer.
He was decorated with the Commander Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon
. He lived in Asker
for the later part of his life, and died in 1994.
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
and literature
Icelandic literature
Icelandic literature refers to literature written in Iceland or by Icelandic people. It is best known for the sagas written in medieval times, starting in the 13th century. As Icelandic and Old Norse are almost the same, and because Icelandic works constitute most of Old Norse literature, Old Norse...
.
Academic career
He was born in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, finished
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
his secondary education in 1939, and graduated with the cand.mag.
Cand.mag.
Candidatus magisterii , Candidata magisterii , i.e. Latin Candidate of Arts, abbreviated cand.mag., is an academic degree used in Denmark, and formerly in Norway and Iceland, roughly corresponding to an American Master of Arts and officially translated as such...
degree in 1946 and the cand.philol. degree in 1949. From 1950 he worked at the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
, as a research fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
until 1952 and then lecturer in the Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
. He left the University of Iceland in 1960, and after two years as a high school teacher in Notodden, he was a lecturer in Norwegian at Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
from 1962 to 1969. In 1969 he also took the dr.philos. degree. The doctorate, on the subject of Stefán frá Hvítadal, was taken at the University of Iceland, and Orgland was the first foreigner to do so. From 1969 to 1973 he was a lecturer at the Oslo Teachers' College
Oslo University College
Oslo University College , Norwegian: Høgskolen i Oslo is the largest state university college in Norway, with more than 11,000 students and approx. 1100 employees...
, and from 1973 to 1979 he was a lecturer in the Icelandic language
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
.
Writings
He became known for translating Nordic works to NynorskNynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
, especially Icelandic—both medieval and modern—but also from the more obscure Faroese language
Faroese language
Faroese , is an Insular Nordic language spoken by 48,000 people in the Faroe Islands and about 25,000 Faroese people in Denmark and elsewhere...
and Modern Gutnish
Modern Gutnish
Modern Gutnish is the native language of the Gotlandic people on the island of Gotland in present-day Sweden. It was both a spoken and written language until late medieval times. Today it exists as a spoken language, but is to some degree mixed with Swedish, Danish and German. It is an open issue...
. Anthologies include Islandske dikt frå Solarljod til opplysningstid, Islandske gullalderdikt and Islandske dikt frå vårt hundreår. For his body of work he won the Bastian Prize
Bastian Prize
The Bastian Prize is a prize awarded annually by the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators.The prize, established in 1951, is given for translating a published work into Norwegian language...
, awarded by the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators
Norwegian Association of Literary Translators
Norwegian Association of Literary Translators is an association for Norwegian literary translators, founded in 1948. The association has awarded the annual Bastian Prize from 1951, for best literary translation into Norwegian language. The prize is a statue by made by sculptor Ørnulf Bast....
, in 1986. He also issued several original works of poetry, having debuted in 1950 with the work Lilje og sverd ('Lily and Sword'). He has also written Norwegian-Icelandic dictionaries. During his younger days, he was also a tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
singer.
He was decorated with the Commander Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
. He lived in Asker
Asker
Asker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
for the later part of his life, and died in 1994.