Dano-Norwegian
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For other uses, see Dano-Norwegian (disambiguation).
In linguistics, the Dano-Norwegian language (in Norwegian dansk-norsk) refers to a koiné that evolved among the urban elite in Norwegian cities during the later years of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (1536-1814). It is from this koiné that Riksmål and Bokmål developed. Bokmål is now the most widely-used written standard of contemporary Norwegian language.
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[edit] History
During the period of Danish rule, Norwegian writing died out and Danish became 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; later it came to be spoken on formal or official occasions; and 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 the urban elite. This new Dano-Norwegian language could be described as Danish with East 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 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.
[edit] Modern developments
Nowadays, the term Bokmål officially refers only to the written language of that name (and possibly to its use in the media, by actors etc.). There are, however, a number of spoken varieties of Norwegian that are close or largely identical [1] to written Bokmål, sometimes even in a conservative form similar to historical Dano-Norwegian - notably, the higher sociolect in Oslo and in other Norwegian cities. A socially less distinct variety known as Standard Østnorsk (Standard East Norwegian) is increasingly becoming the standard spoken language of a growing part of Eastern Norway. Colloquially, the latter form is also called the Oslo dialect, which is misleading since the Oslo dialect predates the Dano-Norwegian koiné, and though both influenced by and partially replaced by Standard Østnorsk, it is still in use, and since the koiné language is not a dialect. Over the years the spoken Dano-Norwegian standard and its successors, on the one hand, and Modern Norwegian dialects on the other hand have influenced each other. Nowadays, no clear dividing line can be drawn between the two.
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, now known as Nynorsk, which is based on Modern Norwegian dialects and puristic opposition to Danish and Dano-Norwegian. 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. See also Norwegian language struggle.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Note
- ^ Vikør, Lars S. Frå norrønt til bokmål og nynorsk.. Retrieved on 2006-10-20.
[edit] See also
| Norwegian language |  |
|---|---|
| Norwegian language struggle | |
| Landsmål | Høgnorsk | Nynorsk | Samnorsk | Bokmål | Riksmål | Dano-Norwegian | Norwegian Sign Language | |
| Norwegian Language Council | Norwegian Academy | Noregs Mållag | Riksmålsforbundet | Norwegian dialects | |
| Æ | Ø | Å | |
