Dano-Norwegian
Encyclopedia : D : DA : DAN : Dano-Norwegian
- For alternative meanings, see Dano-Norwegian (disambiguation).
Norwegian writing had mostly died out, and Danish had become the language of the literate class in Norway, and indeed the sole official language in all parts of the kingdom (Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroes and to some extent in Schleswig). At first Danish was used primarily in writing, but later it was also spoken on formal or official occasions. By the time Norway's ties with Denmark and the islands were severed in 1814, a Dano-Norwegian koiné known as "cultivated everyday speech" had become the mother tongue of a growing part of the urban elite. This new Dano-Norwegian language could be described as Danish with Eastern Norwegian pronunciation, some Norwegian vocabulary, and a simplified grammar.
At the start of the 20th century, Danish, by now commonly known as Riksmål, was still the commonly written language in Norway. In 1862, 1907 and 1917 spelling and grammar reforms brought Riksmål closer to the spoken koiné (cultivated everyday speech). In 1929 Riksmål officially changed name to Bokmål.
Nowdays the koiné is found in its most traditional form as the higher sociolect in Oslo, and varieties are found as sociolects in most Norwegian cities. In a socially less distinct form, it is increasingly becoming the standard spoken language of a growing part of Eastern Norway, and it is also has had some influence on dialects all over Norway.
The term Dano-Norwegian is seldomly used with reference to contemporary Bokmål and its spoken varieties. The nationality of the language has been a hotly debated topic, and its users and proponents have generally not been fond of the implied association with Danish (hence the neutral names Riksmål and Bokmål, meaning national language and literary language respectively). The debate intensified with the advent of a new Norwegian written language in the 19th century based on the modern Norwegian dialects, now known as Nynorsk. Historically, many Nynorsk supporters have held that Nynorsk is the only genuinely Norwegian language, since Riksmål/Bokmål is a relic of the dual monarchy; therefore, the term Dano-Norwegian applied to Bokmål can be used to stigmatize or delegitimize the language. Many Bokmål users consider this use to be offensive, and it is therefore mainly confined to the Nynorsk-supporting side of heated discussions.
Other meanings
When used as an adjective, Dano-Norwegian means "Danish and Norwegian" (as in the Dano-Norwegian alphabet). It then refers to anything relating to both Denmark and Norway (as in Dano-Norwegian relations or agreements) or their territories or people. More specifically this adjective is used to refer to the former Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, e.g. as a demonym.See also
| Norwegian language |
|
|---|---|
| Landsmål | Høgnorsk | Nynorsk | Samnorsk | Bokmål | Riksmål | Dano-Norwegian | |
| Norwegian Language Council | Noregs Mållag | Riksmålsforbundet | Norwegian dialects | |
| Æ | Ø | Å | |
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