Modern Norwegian
Encyclopedia
Modern Norwegian is the Norwegian language
that emerged after the Middle Norwegian transition period (1350-1536). The transition to Modern Norwegian is usually dated to 1525, or 1536, the year of the Protestant Reformation
and the beginning of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (1536-1814).
The Norwegian linguistic term for Modern Norwegian is Nynorsk
, literally New Norwegian. Nynorsk is also the name of a Norwegian written standard based on Modern Norwegian dialects
, as opposed to the Norwegianisation of Danish
.
In contrast to Old Norse language, Modern Norwegian has simplified inflection
s and a more fixed syntax. Old Norse vocabulary is to a considerable degree substituted by Low German
, and this is the main reason why Modern Norwegian, together with contemporary Norwegian in general, Danish and Swedish
, is no longer mutually intelligible with Insular Nordic (Icelandic
and Faroese
); see North Germanic languages
.
While Modern Norwegian is a linguistic term with a specific historical meaning, contemporary Norwegian also includes the Dano-Norwegian
koiné
now commonly known as Standard Østnorsk (Standard East Norwegian) and the related official written standard Bokmål
. Standard Østnorsk is spoken by a large and rapidly growing minority of Norwegians, and Bokmål is by far the most widely-used written language, even among users of Modern Norwegian dialects.
The terms Nynorsk, Modern Norwegian and Contemporary Norwegian is somewhat confusing, because in Norwegian the same term Nynorsk is used for the two former, while Contemporary Norwegian easily could be called moderne norsk (literally Modern Norwegian) in Norwegian.
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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...
that emerged after the Middle Norwegian transition period (1350-1536). The transition to Modern Norwegian is usually dated to 1525, or 1536, the year of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and the beginning of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (1536-1814).
The Norwegian linguistic term for Modern Norwegian is Nynorsk
Nynorsk
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...
, literally New Norwegian. Nynorsk is also the name of a Norwegian written standard based on Modern Norwegian dialects
Norwegian dialects
The Norwegian dialects are commonly divided into 4 main groups, North Norwegian , Trøndelag Norwegian , West Norwegian , and East Norwegian...
, as opposed to the Norwegianisation of Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
.
In contrast to Old Norse language, Modern Norwegian has simplified inflection
Inflection
In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, grammatical mood, grammatical voice, aspect, person, number, gender and case...
s and a more fixed syntax. Old Norse vocabulary is to a considerable degree substituted by Low German
Middle Low German
Middle Low German is a language that is the descendant of Old Saxon and is the ancestor of modern Low German. It served as the international lingua franca of the Hanseatic League...
, and this is the main reason why Modern Norwegian, together with contemporary Norwegian in general, Danish and Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, is no longer mutually intelligible with Insular Nordic (Icelandic
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 Faroese
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...
); see North Germanic languages
North Germanic languages
The North Germanic languages or Scandinavian languages, the languages of Scandinavians, make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages, along with the West Germanic languages and the extinct East Germanic languages...
.
While Modern Norwegian is a linguistic term with a specific historical meaning, contemporary Norwegian also includes the Dano-Norwegian
Dano-Norwegian
Dano-Norwegian is a linguistic term for a koiné that evolved among the urban elite in Norwegian cities during the later years of the union between the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway . It is from this koiné that Riksmål and Bokmål developed...
koiné
Koine language
In linguistics, a koiné language is a standard language or dialect that has arisen as a result of contact between two mutually intelligible varieties of the same language. Since the speakers have understood one another from before the advent of the koiné, the koineization process is not as rapid...
now commonly known as Standard Østnorsk (Standard East Norwegian) and the related official written standard Bokmål
Bokmål
Bokmål is one of two official Norwegian written standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by 85–90% of the population in Norway, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of the Norwegian language....
. Standard Østnorsk is spoken by a large and rapidly growing minority of Norwegians, and Bokmål is by far the most widely-used written language, even among users of Modern Norwegian dialects.
The terms Nynorsk, Modern Norwegian and Contemporary Norwegian is somewhat confusing, because in Norwegian the same term Nynorsk is used for the two former, while Contemporary Norwegian easily could be called moderne norsk (literally Modern Norwegian) in Norwegian.
Language history
- Old Norse language
- Old NorwegianOld NorwegianOld Norwegian refers to a group of Old Norse dialects spoken and written in Norway in the Middle Ages. They bridged the dialect continuum from Old East Norse to Old West Norse.-Old Norwegian vs Common Norse:...
- Middle Norwegian
- Dano-NorwegianDano-NorwegianDano-Norwegian is a linguistic term for a koiné that evolved among the urban elite in Norwegian cities during the later years of the union between the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway . It is from this koiné that Riksmål and Bokmål developed...
- Norwegian languageNorwegian languageNorwegian 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...
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Orthographies
- BokmålBokmålBokmål is one of two official Norwegian written standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by 85–90% of the population in Norway, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of the Norwegian language....
(official written language, based on the Danish language, but with significant changes) - HøgnorskHøgnorskHøgnorsk, meaning "High Norwegian", is a term for varieties of the Norwegian language form Nynorsk that reject most of the official reforms that have been introduced since the creation of Landsmål...
(unofficial, based on the original Landsmål and pre-1938 Nynorsk, has no standardising body) - LandsmålLandsmålLandsmål, meaning "language of the land/country", was the name Ivar Aasen gave the Norwegian orthography he created in the 19th century. In 1885 it was adopted as an official language in Norway alongside Danish. In 1929, Landsmål was renamed Nynorsk...
(the official name of Nynorsk until 1929, sometimes referring to the original orthography developed by Ivar AasenIvar AasenIvar Andreas Aasen was a Norwegian philologist, lexicographer, playwright and poet.-Background:...
) - NynorskNynorskNynorsk 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...
(official written language, based on the Norwegian Dialects, compiled by Ivar Aasen) - Riksmål (unofficial, based on Danish and pre-1938 Bokmål, but with some modernisation since. It is standardised by Det Norske Akademi for Sprog og Litteratur. It was also the official name of Bokmål until 1929.)
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