Glossary of Terms
In the following list, you'll find the markers of identity explored in this project. I've defined them to the best of my ability based upon my own translations, from the literature used for this project, and from the assistance of native Norwegian speakers.
Key:
- (B) - Bokmål
- (N) - Nynorsk
- (S) - Samisk
- (E) - English
- (*) Norwegian contains several words that are difficult to translate directly into English - I invite you to explore them more on your own!
ateisme (B/N) atheism
badstu (B/N) sauna
bokmål (B) "book language", one of the official writing forms in Norway today
brunost (B/N) brown cheese
bunad (B/N) Norwegian traditional clothing
camping (B/N) camping
dugnadsånd* (B/N) communal work, gathering for communal cleaning
feminisme (B/N) feminism
fjord (B/N) fjord
fleirspråkleg (N) bilingual
flerspråklig (B) bilingual
folkeeventyr (B/N) folktales
folkeminne (B/N) folklore
fossekall (B/N) white-throated dipper bird
fotturer (B) hiking
friluftsliv (B/N) free time, outdoor activities
gå på ski (B/N) skiing
gå tur (B/N) hiking
hardanger (B/N) referring to the Hardanger fiddle
hardingfele (B/N) Hardanger fiddle
heimskringla (B/N, via Icelandic) sagas of the Norwegian kings
hytta (B/N) cabins
hytte (B/N) cabin
innvandrer (B) immigrant
innvandrere (B) immgrants
innvandring (B/N) immigration
isolasjon (B/N) isolation
janteloven* (B) The Law of Jante, group behavior of negativity towards success and individual effort
joik/yoik (B/S) Sami folk songs and poems
kald (B/N) cold
kaldhet (B) coldness
kaldt (B/N) cold
kebabnorsk (B/N) Kebabnorsk, a language variety of Eastern Oslo
kjerringa med staven (B/N) "The Woman with the Staff", folk song
koseleg* (N) coziness, a feeling of warmth, togetherness, comfort
koselig* (B) coziness, a feeling of warmth, togetherness, comfort
kulde (B/N) coldness
laling (B/N) Norwegian folk song
landleg (N) rural
landlig (B) rural
landsmål (B/N) precursor to Nynorsk, created by Ivar Aasen
lapp (E) Sami
likestilling (B/N) gender equality
lutefisk (B/N) dried cod/whitefish
Media Thule* (B/N) referring to the power and influence of media in Norway
mjølner (B/N) Thor's Hammer
nasjonal identitet(B/N) national identity
nasjonalisme (B/N) nationalism
nisselue (B/N) red woolen cap, Santa's hat
noaide (B/N) shaman
noaidi (S) shaman
norrøn (B/N) Old Norse
norrøn mytologi (B/N) Norse mythology
norrønt (N) Old Norse language
norsk (B/N) Norwegian
norskhet (B) Norwegianness
nynorsk (N) "New Norwegian", one of the official writing forms in Norway today
oljeindustri (B/N) oil industry
ostehøvel (B/N) cheese slicer
på landet (B/N) countryside
pålegg* (B/N) sandwich spread/fixings
rådyr (B/N) reindeer
rasisme (B/N) racism
ribbe (B/N) Christmas ribs
riksmål (B/N) "National Language", early variety more closely related to Bokmål
romantisk nasjonalisme (B/N) romantic nationalism
rosemaling/rosemåling* (B/N) decorative painting and ornamentation
runestein (B/N) rune stone
sagn (B) story
sakleg (N) objective, matter-of-fact, practical, unbiased
saklig (B/N) objective, matter-of-fact, practical, unbiased
samedrakt (B/N) Sami traditional clothing
sametinget (B/N) Sami Parliament
Sami (S/E) Sami
samisk (B/N) Sami
sauna (B/N, loanword from Finnish) sauna
segn (N) story
selbu (B/N) Selbu mitten
sosialrealisme (B/N) social realism
springar (B/N) Norwegian folk dance
stå på ski (B/N) skiing
stalo/stallo (S) large, human-eating creature from Sami folklore
stavkirke (B) stave church
stavkyrkje (N) stave church
stortinget (B/N) Stortinget, Norwegian Parliament
svartmetall (B/N) black metal (music genre)
syttende mai (B/N) May 17th, Norwegian Independence Day
tidsklemma* (B/N) not having enough time to do what you want to do
tøft miljø (B/N) harsh environment
torsk (B/N) cod
troll (B/N) troll
tromme (B/N) drums
velferdsstaten (N) welfare state
velferdstaten (B) welfare state
vidunderlig* (B/N) something incredibly beautiful and wonderful
yngling (B/N) Scandinavian royal dynasty from the sagas and Old English literature
