Definition

Noun 1. One of the two official written standards of the Norwegian language: Nynorsk is a standardized written form of Norwegian, created in the 19th century by Ivar Aasen. It is based primarily on rural and western Norwegian dialects, aiming to represent a more "Norwegian" form distinct from the Dano-Norwegian (Bokmål) tradition.

Usage

• Nynorsk is used in government, education, and media, though it is less common than Bokmål.
• It is one of the two forms students can choose to write in for their education.
• Municipalities in Norway can declare either Nynorsk or Bokmål as their official administrative language.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Some Norwegian authors choose to write their novels in Nynorsk.
  • The newspaper publishes articles in both Bokmål and Nynorsk.
  • Learning Nynorsk provides insight into Norway's linguistic history.

Advanced Usage

• "to write in Nynorsk": To use the Nynorsk standard for written communication.
  • Approximately 10-15% of Norwegian schoolchildren are taught to write in Nynorsk.
• "Nynorsk advocate/supporter": A person who promotes the use of Nynorsk.
  • He is a well-known Nynorsk advocate who writes extensively about language policy.

Variants and Related Words

• Bokmål (noun): The other official written standard of Norwegian, derived from the Dano-Norwegian written tradition used in cities. It is the more widely used of the two standards.
• Landsmål (noun, historical): The original name for Nynorsk, meaning "country language," given by its creator Ivar Aasen.
• Norwegian (noun): The North Germanic language spoken in Norway, which has two official written forms: Bokmål and Nynorsk.

Synonyms

• New Norwegian (This is a direct translation of "Nynorsk" and is sometimes used in English explanations.)

Notes on Meaning

• It is crucial to distinguish Nynorsk from a mere dialect. It is a standardized written language, not a spoken dialect, though its forms are based on specific dialectal features.
• Nynorsk and Bokmål are both official and correct ways to write Norwegian. The choice between them can be a personal, regional, or political one.

Noun

1. one of two official languages of Norway; based on rural dialects