English

Norwegian (English)

Are Norwegian Nynorsk and Norwegian Bokmål two languages or two forms of the same language? Both linguistically and politically the answers «two languages» and «two varieties» are both possible – but «two varieties» is the official answer.

Norwegian Nynorsk (English)

The Norwegian Nynorsk written language is based on the Norwegian vernacular, that is, the traditional Norwegian dialects, as opposed to Norwegian Bokmål, which has its roots in the Dano-Norwegian language tradition. The majority of Norwegian speakers use a language system and vocabulary that is closer to Norwegian Nynorsk than to Norwegian Bokmål.

Norwegian Bokmål (English)

Norwegian Bokmål, which was created by way of the spelling reforms in 1907, 1917 and 1938, is among the youngest written languages in Europe.

Norwegian Nynorsk fiction 1850–2015 (English)

With the arrival of the Nynorsk authors, realistic descriptions of rural life, the child’s perspective and irony have found their place in Scandinavian literary history.

Norwegian Nynorsk fiction 2000–2015: It’s possible to write in the everyday as well (English)

In the early 21 century the writers attempt to make their novel characters, their lyrical poetry and the ideas in the essayism free of the successful everyday. The body, media and society and “happyland” Norway are themes that recur.

Ivar Aasen (English)

Ivar Andreas Aasen, linguist, language founder and literary figure. He changed the future of language in Norway, shaped the Nynorsk written language on the basis of spoken variants from across Norway, and wrote beloved Norwegian songs, such as “Nordmannen” (“The Norwegian”).

Olav H. Hauge (English)

Olav H. Hauge (Olav Håkonson Hauge), poet and fruit farmer, who gradually emerged as one of the most significant Norwegian poets of the 20^th century. He has been translated into more than twenty languages, and was himself an important translator of poetry from English, German and French.

Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (English)

Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, journalist, poet and essayist, was a pioneer in turning the Norwegian Nynorsk into a living everyday language, with the newspaper Dølen, and he lay the foundations for a Norwegian Nynorsk essay tradition. Many of Vinje’s poems have been set to music, a number of them by Edvard Grieg, and several are among the most beloved songs of all time in Norway.

Aslaug Vaa (English)

Aslaug Vaa, Norwegian lyricist, dramatist and essayist. Vaa was a pioneer in the field of early female lyrical poetry in Norwegian Nynorsk.

Halldis Moren Vesaas (English)

Halldis Moren Vesaas, lyric poet and translator, was one of the most read, most frequently quoted and one of the Norwegian writers of lyric poetry.

Tarjei Vesaas (English)

Tarjei Vesaas was one of the most important authors in Scandinavia in the 20th century.

The Norwegian Nynorsk press in America (English)

Literary texts and contributions to the public debate in Norwegian Nynorsk and dialect were printed in a number of North American newspapers and magazines.

Topic: Language facts

Språkfakta 2015 (Language facts 2015) is a story about languages in Norway and the world, presented via more than 850 tables and other statistical documentation. On these pages are extracts from Språkfakta 2015 published in English translation.

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