Nynorsk, bokmål, or what?

50% GOOD (6 votes)

Hello, I have been to a conference about Scandinavian languages, and when it came up to talk about Norwegian the teacher said "I'm from Oslo and I can teach you Oslo's Norwegian... some of my students went to Bergen last summer and they couldn't really understand native speakers... Unfortunally in Norway still prevail local dialects"... this is a bit strange for us abroad cause we want to speak the language of Norway but we just don't know which is the right one (and if there really is a right one...).

Could you gave us some advices?

Comments

Sykdott profile picture SykdottDecember 2009

I would agree with the previous post. Standard eastern would be the wisest choice as it is closest to Bokmål and generally understood by everyone in the country. I would not spend too much time looking at Nynorsk considering only 5% of the population use it as their primary language. Good luck with learning Norwegian!

nickylysta profile picture nickylystaNovember 2009

Thanks a lot, very clear and helpful :)

borboleta profile picture borboletaOctober 2009

I wouldn't say there is one dialect that is more correct than another. But the fact is that every city or village has its own dialect, so to speak.  Many think the Oslo dialect (also known as standard østnorsk standard eastern Norwegian)  is easier to learn, because it's closer to bokmål. This is the dialect that appears on most television programmes and the radio. 

Most teachers of Norwegian as a second language are from the South-East region of Norway, and the dialects seems to have a low status among them, unfortunately. With standard østnorsk you will however be able to make yourself understood anywhere in the country, but some dialects are hard to understand for foreign speakers, and I think the Bergen dialect is one of them, and Western Norway in general.  I met an Italian woman in Bergen, and she said she had learnt the Oslo dialect in university, but when she came to Bergen it was like she had to learn the language one more time because she didn't understand what people were saying. She speaks perfectly now, though.