Languages of the Nordic countries – language families Indo-European UralicEskimo-

Institutt for lingvistiske og nordiske studier (ILN) 1

Maastricht 16 April 2010 Professor Arne Torp

Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies

University of Oslo

English versus Scandinavian languages in Internordic Relations


Som crucial background facts about the Nordic countries, the languages of the Nordic countries and the Nordic languages


Languages of the Nordic countries – language families

Indo-European Uralic Eskimo-

Aleutic

Germanic Finno-Ugric

Nordic (= North Germ.) Saami Baltic Finnic

Sw. Da. No. Far. Icel. (North Finnish GreenlandicSaami,Ume Saami,

South Saami…)

Institutt for lingvistiske og nordiske studier (ILN)

Declaration on a Nordic Language Policy (signed by the Nordic Council of Ministers 2006)

• There are six languages in the Nordic countries that are both complete and essential to society: Danish, Finnish, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian (in both written forms: Bokmål and Nynorsk), and Swedish.

• Goals• A Nordic language policy should therefore aim:• that all Nordic residents being able to read and write the language or

languages that are essential to society in the area where they live• that all Nordic residents being able to communicate with one another,

preferably in a Scandinavian language,• that all Nordic residents having a basic knowledge of linguistic rights in

the Nordic countries and the language situation in the Nordic countries

• that all Nordic residents having very good skills in at least one language of international importance and good skills in another foreign language

• that all Nordic residents having a general knowledge of what language is and how it works


Official languges in the Nordic countries and two areas with home rule• Denmark,

Norway, Sweden • Finland

• Iceland• Faroes Isles• Greenland

• Danish, Norwegian, Swedish

• Finnish (91,5 %), Swedish (5,5 %)

• Icelandic• Faroese, Danish• Inuit, Danish

6


NordicInsular Nordic Scandinavian

Icelandic Faroese Norw. Swed. Danish

Classification of modern Nordic lang. (in spoken form) on the basis of similarity

North Scandinavian South Scand.


The main reason why Insular Nordic and Scandinavian langages are mutually incomprehensible: The Hansetic merchants came to Scandinavia, but never to Iceland!

• Tailor-the thought that jacket-the fit splendidly, but customer-the complained and meant that garment-the was short and material-the unsophisticated and coarse.

• Skredderen tenkte at trøya passet fortreffelig, men kunden klaget og mente at plagget var kort og tøyet simpelt og grovt.

• De schrâder dachte dat die trôie vortreffelik paste, men de kunde klâgde und mênde dat die plagge kort was und dat tüg simpel und grof.

• Klæðskerinn hélt að skyrtan passaði fullkomlega, en viðskiptavinurinn kvartaði og taldi að flíkin væri stutt og efnið einfalt og gróft.


The notion ”neighbor languages”

• General definition:• Varieties that normally are regarded as

different languages (for national and/or political reasons), but nevertheless are (to a certain degree) mutually intelligible.

• Neighbor language communication: The trickle of messages through a rather high level of ‘code noise’.

• Haugen, Einar. 1966. “Semicommunication: The Language Gap in Scandinavia.” Sociological Inquiry 36:280-297


What is the negative definition of ” neighbor languages”?• If varieties are not mutually intelligible, they

are called ”languages by distance” (Abstandsprachen, Heinz Kloss )

• The borderline between the two notions may vary over time and between individuals within the same language community.

• The alternative if neighbor language communication is impossible, is a lingua franca (i.e. in our part of the world normally English)


English version of a the text on a toothpaste tube

Daily use of Aquafresh gives a triple protection for strong teeth,

healthy tooth flesh and fresh breath. The new improved

formula gives your mouth a fresh feeling.


The same text in ”Scandinavian”

DK/NO/SEDaglig brug av Aquafresh ger ett 3-dobbelt beskyttelse/skydd for stærke

tænder/tänder, friskt tandkød/tandkött og frisk

ånde/pust/andedräkt. Den nye forbedrete/förbättrade formulan ger

deres/din mun en frisk følelse/känsla.


- and here marked with ”national” color symbols

DK/NO/SEDaglig brug av Aquafresh ger ett 3-dobbelt beskyttelse/skydd for stærke

tænder/tänder, friskt tandkød/tandkött og frisk

ånde/pust/andedräkt. Den nye forbedrete/förbättrade formulan ger

deres/din mun en frisk følelse/känsla.


A short specimen of Scandinavian

languages


Why Bokmål and Nynorsk?The reason why there are two language varieties in Norway, whereas one variety of both Danish and Swedish is sufficient, is both historical and political. Bokmål is historically seen a “norwegianized” version of the Danish written language which was used in Norway since the time when the country was in political union with Denmark (from about 1450 to 1814).

Translated from Nordens språk med røtter og føtter, p. 44


Specimen 1

Varför bokmål och nynorska?Orsaken till att man har två norska språkformer i Norge, medan man klarar sig med bara en form av både danska och svenska, är både historisk och politisk. Bokmål är historiskt sett en »förnorskad« utgåva av det danska skriftspråket som användes i Norge sedan den tiden då landet var i politisk union med Danmark (från ca 1400 till 1814).

From Nordens språk med rötter och fötter s. 44


Specimen 2

Hvorfor bokmål og nynorsk?Grunden til at man har to norske målformer i Norge, mens man klarer sig med én form af både dansk og svensk, er både historisk og politisk. Bokmål er historisk set en »fornorsket« udgave af det danske skriftsprog der har været i brug i Norge siden landet var i politisk union med Danmark (fra ca. 1400 til 1814).

From Nordens sprog med rødder og fødder s. 44

•


Specimen 3

Hvorfor bokmål og nynorsk?Grunnen til at man har to norske målformer i Norge, mens man klarer seg med én form av både dansk og svensk, er både historisk og politisk. Bokmål er historisk sett en »fornorsket« utgave av det danske skriftspråket som har vært i bruk i Norge siden landet var i politisk union med Danmark (fra ca. 1400 til 1814).

From Nordens språk med røtter og føtter s. 44


What are the main differences between the Scandinavian languages?

• The differences between South Scand. (Danish) and North Scand. (Norw. and Swed.) lie in the pronunciation. This implies that Norw. and Swed. are very similar in their spoken form, whereas Danish is very different.

• The differences within North Scand. (i.e. between Norw. and Swed.) lie in the vocabulary. This means that Danish and Norw. (particularly Bokmål) are very similar in writing (written Danish looks almost like Bokmål!), whereas Swed. is clearly different from both Danish and Norw. in writing.


Einar Haugen about the relationship between Danish, Norw. and Swedish:

When Norwegians and Swedes communicate orally, they can tell what word is being spoken, though they may be uncertain of its meaning [affär – affære]. When Norwegians and Danes communicate, they have to listen hard to be sure what word the other is using, but once they get that, they usually know what it means [meget – meget]. Or as one wit has put it: Norwegian is Danish spoken in Swedish.

Haugen: ”Danish, Norwegian and Swedish” (1990)


INSInternordisk språkförståelse i en tid med

ökad internationalisering2003-2004

Internordic language comprehension in a time of increasing internationalization

2003-2004

pdf-version of the final report:http://www.norden.org/da/publikationer/publikationer/2005-573


Cop

en

hag

en

Sto

ckh

olm

Oslo

Hels

inki

Reykja

vik

150 147

199

82

96

74

4437

4842

Årh

us

Malm

ö

Berg

en

Mari

eh

am

n

Vaasa

Jyväskylä

Tors

ham

n

Aku

reyri

Nu

uk

118110

104

4741

79

48 48

3142

3141

19

53 51

16

29

Places of research and number of (young) informants(red columns: number of informants tested for comprension of Scandinavian)(blue columns: number of informants tested for comprension of English)


Total results for comprension of Scandinavian

3,87

4,38

6,14

4,20

Den

mark

Sw

ed

en

Norw

ay

Sw

ed

. Fin

lan

d

2,14

7,01

4,00 4,19

Fin

lan

d

Far.

Is

les

Icela

nd

Gre

en

lan

d


Results for the separate languagesS

wed

en

Norw

ay

Sved

. Fin

lan

d

Fin

lan

d

Far.

Isle

s

Icela

nd

Gre

en

lan

d

3,80

6,07

3,64

1,54

8,28

5,36

6,61

Danish

Den

mark

Norw

ay

Fin

lan

d

Far.

Isle

s

Icela

nd

Gre

en

lan

d

3,53

6,21

3,24

5,75

3,34

2,23

Swedish

Den

mark

Sw

ed

en

Sw

ed

. Fin

lan

d

Fin

lan

d

Far.

Isle

s

Icela

nd

Gre

en

lan

d

4,15

4,974,76

1,63

7,00

3,40

Norwegian

3,73


4,5%

43,2%

52,3%

Yes

A lit

tle

No

Teaching of neighbor languages Hva you studied Danish/Norwegian/Swedish at school?


Parents and Pupils: Comparative results

5,93

6,62

3,59

4,54

Pare

nts

Pu

pils

Sw Sw No No

Denmark

Pare

nts

Pu

pils

7,266,86

4,96

5,55

Da Da No No

Sweden

Pare

nts

Pu

pils

Pare

nts

Pu

pils

7,92

6,73

7,98

6,88

Da Da Sw Sw

Norway

Pare

nts

Pu

pils

Pare

nts

Pu

pils


Deterioration of neighbor language comprehension the last 30 years

6,13

7,90

3,41

4,64

Mau

rud

19

72

INS

20

03

Sv Sv No No

Denmark

Mau

rud

19

72

INS

20

03

6,43

Da No

5,17

7,42

3,87

Da No

Sweden

Mau

rud

19

72

INS

20

03

Mau

rud

19

72

INS

20

03

Da

8,33

6,62

9,10

8,05

Da Sw Sw

Norway

Mau

rud

19

72

INS

20

03

Mau

rud

19

72

INS

20

03


The sad story:Comparative results for comprehension of English versus Scandinavian languagesred (Scand. speaking areas) and blue (other Nordic areas) columns: English grey columns: Scandinavian languages

3,87

4,38

6,14

4,20

Den

mark

Sw

ed

en

Norw

ay

Sw

ed

. Fin

lan

d

2,14

7,01

4,00

Fin

lan

d

Far.

Isle

s

Icela

nd

5,70

7,08 7,09

7,66

6,02

7,607,17


Sw

ed

en

Norw

ay

En

gla

nd

29,6

22,2

46,9

Danes

Attitudes to countriesWould you like to live or study in…

Den

mark

Norw

ay

En

gla

nd

54,1

44,7

76,9

Swedes

Den

mark

Sw

ed

en

En

gla

nd

38,6

47,0

65,4

Norwegians

Den

mark

Sw

ed

en

Norw

ay

En

gla

nd

47,4

60,1

41,4

Finns78,4

Den

mark

Sw

ed

en

Norw

ay

En

gla

nd

74,7

63,7

49,3

Icelanders83,1


Sw

ed

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

43,4

53,9

73,2

Denmark

Attitudes to languages 1Do you think that Danish/Swedish/Norwegian/English is easy?

Dan

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

33,5

58,4

83,0Sweden

Dan

ish

Sw

ed

ish

En

glish

35,5

77,4

84,9Norway

Dan

ish

Sved

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

13,5

49,5

18,5

Finnish Finland

81,0

Dan

ish

Sw

ed

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

51,7

33,237,0

Iceland 85,9


Sw

ed

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

46,050,5

62,6

Denmark

Attitudes to languages 2Do you think that Danish/Swedish/Norwegian/English is nice?

Dan

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

gis

h

27,8

53,1

63,5

Sweden

Dan

ish

Sw

ed

ish

En

glish

28,9

66,662,5

Norway

Dan

ish

Sw

ed

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

37,7

50,047,8

Finnish Finland

69,5

Dan

ish

Sw

ed

ish

Norw

eg

ian

En

glish

49,3 47,6 47,5

Iceland

75,3


Why are Norwegians always superior in Scandinavian neighbor language comprehension?

Norw. is intermediate between Danish and Swedish• We have Swed. pronunciation and Dan. vocabulary• Norwegians are accustomed to linguistic variation.• Norwegian can be written in two different ways (at

least!), and the dialects are much more widely used than in the neighboring countries.

• Why this?• Both facts are consequences of the

four centuries long union between Norway and Denmark.


Encouraging facts for the Scandinavian neighbor language comprehension 1 (particularly Norwegian / Swedish)

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Encouraging events for the Scandinavian neighbor language comprehension 2 (only Norwegian / Swedish)

• NRK Alltid Nyheter (NRK News All the Time) cooperates with Sveriges radio (and BBC) at certain times every day (and night)

• NRK P2 has a Swedish speaking journalist in one of their programs (Radiofront)

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Every Friday in prime time at NRK 1 and SVt 1:

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Linguistic practices in multilingual programs like Skavlan at NRK TV (and SVt?)

• dialogue spoken by participants using the ”national” language (in Norway regardless of dialect!) has no subtitles

• dialogue spoken by participants using the neighbor language (and English) has always subtitles

• Skavlan speaks ”svorsk” (= 98 % Norw. and 2 % Swedish!) both with Norw. and Swedes

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Internordic oral communication at present and in the future: A personal assessment (1)• The Scandinavian neighbor language

community:• Norwegians will never have any problems with Swedish!• Swedes may have some (but minor) problems with Norwegian

• Conclusion: Norwegians and Swedes will probably continue to communicate in Scandinavian

• Danes don’t notice the difference between Norw. and Swedish, but they understand Norwegian (4,2 points) better than Swedish (3,5 points; cf. slide 24 above)

• Swedes find Danish hard to understand (and vice versa)

• Conclusion: Communication via lingua franca (i.e. English) will probably be the normal practice between Danes and Swedes and possibly also between Danes and Norwegians.

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Internordic oral communication at present and in the future: A personal assessment (2)• My prediction for the Nordic countries

outside the Scandinavian-speaking language area

• Everywhere (with the exception of the Faroe Isles) the lingua franca strategy with English will be the normal practice

• This is sad, but probably a realistic prospect

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Languages of the Nordic countries – language families Indo-European UralicEskimo-

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