Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with norwegian

What's a better response than "Uff da"?

Cogito — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:23:04 -0800

Norskfilter: Help me come up with an appropriate response to a Norwegian greeting on OkCupid I emailed a Norwegian speaker and mentioned that I'd always been interested in the language. Her response to me was mostly in English, but the first line was: "Snakker du ikke norsk? Hmm. Jeg synes at du er veldig kjekk." So, I have two questions:

1. What exactly does that mean? I get the basic idea from the google translation, but I'd like to hear what someone who really knows the language makes of it.

2. What would be something clever to say back in Norwegian?

How do you say peace in Norwegian?

jddizzle — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:11:00 -0800

Is there another word for peace in Norwegian (besides Fred)? How does the word Roen (sp?) translate? I spent years thinking that a word my Norwegian grandmother taught me meant 'peace'. Recently have been considering getting a tattoo that incorporates that word and can't find anything on the internet that supports this translation. I once met a girl from outside Oslo who told me that the word sounded like a greeting that her and her friends used.
Roen is the only way I can think to spell it, but could be another way. I can't find the word on any translation sites.

That pesky alveolar trill

dance — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:47:30 -0800

Is it possible to learn how to do the alveolar trill / rolled 'R' I'm a native English speaker who has moved to Norway. My inability to produce one of the key sounds of the Norwegian language, the rolled r, is at least comic and at worst renders a percentage of what I try to say incomprehensible to sensitive ears.

I find that Norwegians are ...getting there, but are not as sympathetic to foreigners speaking Norwegian as English or American speakers are of people who have English as a second-language. Norwegians are not as used to hearing Norwegian imperfectly reproduced and are fairly tolerant of it whilst at the same time impressed that one has made the effort.

I've got a couple of problems I'm aware of within the language which I can work on alone, but one thing I'm painfully aware of is my inability to roll my rs. It just doesn't seem to be in my mouth's repertoire! Those who can do this just say "but come on, just do this: rrrrrrrrr!!".

Does anyone know how I can begin to get those rs rolled? Any non-roller want to stop by and say it can be done?

I hope it's not like the movie.

hootch — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:31:16 -0800

How do you pronounce the Norwegian name Trond? Could a Norwegian member help me out with the pronounciation of the name Trond? My last name is Trondson and I've always prounced it with a silent D, but that's mostly because my brother's name is Tron, without the D. Just curious how it's pronounced "back home".

Rockin' in the Eastern Hemisphere, or would be if I wasn't in the US

curagea — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 23:35:47 -0800

Calling all Germanic (and Slavic) rockers, ravers and, uh, *insert classical term that starts with "r"*! Help me expand my music collection with European melodies! A similar question was asked before, but I'd like to narrow the scope down a bit.

I'm a big-time metal/hard rock/electronica/classical/ambient fan. I like non-American music more than American, and have heard that Europe has a big music scene for those genres. Sure, I could spend countless hours listening to samples from each of them, but I'm VERY picky about the music I listen to. Main reason? Getting inspirations for making my own music.

So, fellow MeFites, help me discover more European music that adhere to one or more of the following criteria. I'll be listing American and non-American examples that I feel exemplifies the qualities I want so you can have a few starters. Oh, and I use the term "electronica" broadly, just to point out:

- Good/great sense of melody - This one is top priority. The more complex, the better, whether by vocal and/or instrument. And if screaming/growling is involved, it better be done not just for show (see below). Examples: Disturbed, Poisonblack, Paradise Lost, A Perfect Circle (Mer de Noms), Orgy, Schiller, Lunar, Hybrid, BT, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Liszt, Squaremeter

- Heavyweight/Workout/Emotional - Oh yeah. I love to bang my head and blow my eardrums out (not literally, of course). Or really rave and dance like a maniac. Or... shake my head in internal pain over the piano. Examples: Disturbed, Judas Priest (pre-Nostradamus), Testament, Oomph!, Rammstein (pre-Reise Reise), The Prodigy (pre-Fat of the Land), The Crystal Method's "Stir Fry - Breakin On The Street", Infected Mushroom, Rachmaninov, Lizst

- Quirkiness - I also don't mind something that "sounds" fun and manages to be unpredictable. Examples: Mars Volta, Spacehog, Van Halen, Infected Mushroom, Dead Can Dance, 70's Scorpions, System of a Down, Prokofiev

- Angst with authenticity - There's screaming and growling and wailing, then there's the good mature kind, done in the right places so they don't like they're just... there. Examples: Disturbed (yeah I know, I'm a fan), Oomph! (pre-Ego), 30 Seconds to Mars (debut album), Breaking Benjamin, Trapt, Paradise Lost, Alice in Chains, Sevendust, Zeromancer

- Good drumwork - I'm not a drummer, but since getting Rock Band, I've been paying more attention to drums because they're so underestimated. Speed is not an issue; complexity is. Examples: Disturbed post-Believe (alright, I'll stop), Mars Volta, Testament, Queens of the Stone Age, Kagerou (NO Dragonforce. After listening to the stupid lyrics and the mind-numbing drums and guitars, that kind of music now just exhausts my brain).

- Mysterious/Twisted - Crawl-under-your-skin or whoa... gnarly... Examples: Panacea/Squaremeter, SunnO))), Infected Mushroom, late 80's/early 90's Delerium, the soundtrack from Quake, some Prokofiev

- Germanic lyrics, Slavic lyrics, or none - This includes German, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, English, Czech, Russian. Please no French; I heard French rock once and it made me cringe. Chinese rock made me laugh out loud, not in a good way. I don't really care whether the lyrics make sense or not.

Whew! I know that's a lot to cover, but these criteria were listed in order of descending importance to me, so don't worry if your searches don't match all of them. Metal, electronica, classical, ambient - heck, even New Age (think Enya) - , whether from the mainstream or indie, gimme gimme gimme! I really love to see what new great music is out there. Who do you recommend/what are your favorites?

Note: Middle Eastern-style music is acceptable too, comme Squaremeter's "Aswad".

Adios, Swede.

Foam Pants — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:58:43 -0800

How do you say "good luck" and "Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out" in Norwegian? Bonus points for any hilarious Norwegian turns of phrase to welcome a friend into retirement.

What are these Norwegian monks saying?

Joleta — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 07:43:21 -0800

It's easy to figure out what's going on in this YouTube video titled "Help Desk," but I'm sure it would be even funnier if I knew what they're saying. (Monks speaking Norwegian, one trying to explain to the other how a book works.)

Norwegian sound of agreement

tumble — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 11:27:44 -0800

What is the name of the vocalization Norwegian speakers make when they are agreeing with a speaker? It sounds like saying 'ya', but on an inhale instead of an exhale. In English, it would be replaced by 'mmhmm'. I heard it mostly when a group of people were talking to each other, and the listeners would make the noise when they agreed with some point. What's the name of this sound, and more generally, what is the term for this kind of vocalization?

Where can I find a split comforter?

Bezbozhnik — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:15:23 -0800

A friend went to Norway and slept in a king-size bed with an interesting feature: the comforter was split down the middle so that each occupant had his or her own half. Where could I buy one of these comforters in the US? Google yields many comforters with split corners, but not split down the middle. Perhaps this has a special name that I'm unaware of.

Scandinavian Languages

borkingchikapa — Sat, 11 Dec 2004 13:26:02 -0800

What's up with Scandinavian languages? Norwegians tell me that Danish and Norwegian are written the same, but spoken much differently. Swedes tell me than Danes can understand them but not the other way around. I've also heard that on some European airlines they use a simplified version that all Scandinavians can understand. What's the deal?

How Can I Learn Norwegian in One to Two Months?

degnarra — Tue, 30 Dec 2003 08:46:20 -0800

I want to learn a language FAST. Say in one to two months... I have a teach-yourself book and tape (Norwegian), and a few friends who speak the language. Any tips or suggestions?