Norwegian Language Blog

This decade.  Aftenposten online has featured 10 significant events that occurred in Norway during the years of 2000-2009.  I consider it an interesting liste because it really speaks to the size of Norway.  Some of the significant events would just be a blip on the radar for et land (a country)  the size of the U.S.  I do not mean to downplay any of the events på lista (on the list) and the significance of any of them, I merely think it is interesting to see what a country of Norway’s physical size highlights as significant events in et tiår. 

I suppose now you would like to see listen (the list).  It was compiled by Aftenpostens økonomiredaktør (economisc editor).  Vær så god!  (Here you go)!

2000-Åste-ulykken (accident):  A train from Hamar heading north collided with a cargo train from Trondheim heading south, killing 19 people. 

2001-To bryllup og fem fødsler (2 weddings and 5 births):  Kronprins Haakon and Mette-Marit got married.  Kronprinsesse Märtha Louise and Ari Behn were married also.  Kongeparet (the Royal couple) have since become besteforeldrer til 5 barnebarn (grandparents to 5 grandchildren).

2002-Reiserevolusjon (travel revolution):  The Norwegian airline created low price domestic flights.

2004-Rocknes-ulykken (accident): The Rocknes cargo ship capsized in Vatlastraumen in Hordaland county, killing 18 people, and spilling several tons of olje (oil). 

2004-Norske soldater dør i tjeneste (Norwegian soldiers die in service):  4 soldiers were killed in Afghanistan after the U.S. invasion.

2004-Røykeloven (Smoking law):  Smoking was banned in all public places including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, offices, and public transportation.

2006-Ras og refs i Tunnel-Norge (….in tunnel-Norway):  Part of the roof of the Hanekleivtunnel-a road tunnel in Vestfold, Norway collapsed, spurring investigation that revealed several other road tunnels with inadequate infrastructure.

2008-Snøhetta nytt turmål midt i Oslo (Snøhetta new trip destination in the middle of Oslo):  Snøhetta, an architectural firm, won the bid to build the new opera house in Oslo.

2009-Internasjonal finanskrise, norsk rikdom (international financial crisis, Norwegian riches):  the state pension fund has increased 10-fold since it’s beginning.

2009-Tungoljekatastrofe i Oslofjorden (Crude oil catastrophe in the Oslo Fjord):  During a storm, cargo ship ”Full City” ran aground in Langesund.  200 tons of crude oil spilled.

I guess 2003, 2005, and 2007 were not significant years for Norway, ikke sant?  Rart (weird) that they are all odd years…

illnesses, sickness, or disease.  After just returning from a funeral for a 35 year old woman who died of kreft (cancer), I thought it would be appropriate to teach you all some terms about sykdommer, since we all have been syk before and chances are, we all know someone with a dødelig (lethal, deadly) sykdom.

Let’s learn vocabulary about sykdommer.

å være syk-to be sick                                                                å føle ikke bra-to not feel well

en feber-a fever                                                                       en forkjølelse-a cold

kreft-cancer                                                                              influensa-influenza\flu

sukkersyke-diabetes                                                                sukkersykepasient\diabetiker-diabetic

halsbetennelse-tonisllitis                                                          ta mandlene-have one’s tonsils taken out

sykemeldt-off sick                                                                      et sykehus-a hospital

syketrygd-health insurance                                                        symptom-symptom

en helbredelse-a cure                                                               å dø-to die

å dra til legen-to go to the doctor                                             medisin-medicine

en hjertelidelse-heart condition                                               depresjon-depression

deprimert-depressed                                                                 lammelse-paralysis

behandling-treatment                                                                allergi-allergy\allergisk mot-allergic to

astma-asthma                                                                              hodepine-headache

smittsom\smittende-infectious                                                 virus-virus

Når man er syk, føler man seg ikke bra (When one is sick, one does not feel good). 

Enten man føler seg fysisk eller mentalsk dårlig (Either one feels physically or mentally sick).

Det er vanlig sykdommer som ikke er veldig seriøse og det er veldig seriøse sykdommer som ikke kan helbredes (There are common illnesses that are not very serious and there are very serious illnesses that cannot be cured).

Tror dere at vi skal en dag ha helbredelser for alle sykdommer?  Do you think that one day we will have cures for all diseases?

The Christmas calendar/advent calendar.  Many cultures that celebrate Christmas have some sort of advent calendar.  Today julekalendere can be made from materials such as felt, fabric, paper, small boxes, or chipboard.  Advent means “coming” and julekalenderen is used to count down the days until jul.  Technically advent starts on the fjerde (4th) søndag før jul (Sunday before Christmas), but some julekalendere will start on the 1st of desember.  Fiolet (purple) is the tradisjonell color of jul because fiolet signifies preparation and anticipation.  Four purple candles are traditionally used to represent the four Sundays of advent.  It is common to pynte (decorate) with purple things around the house such as linens, towels, plates, and cushions. 

As far as julekalenderen goes, it is most common to use wall hangings with dører (doors) and lommer (pockets) that have little treats and sweets inside.  However, another older tradition is to put 24 cloves inside en appelsin (an orange) and take one out every day until the 24th, Christmas Eve.  This provides a nice scent for the whole month of desember.  These can be placed in Christmas wreaths, on a table, or on Christmas platters for decoration. 

On the first Sunday of advent a candle is lit, on the second 2 candles are lit, and so forth until all 4 are lit.  There are several different songs and poems, but the most common one is as follows:

Nå tenner vi det første lys
Alene må det stå
Vi venter på det lille Barn
som i en krybbe lå

Nå tenner vi det andre lys
Da kan vi bedre se
Vi venter på at Gud, vår Far
skal gi sin Sønn hit ned

Nå tenner vi det tredje lys
Det er et hellig tall
Vi venter på at Kongen vår
skal fødes i en stall

Nå tenner vi det fjerde lys
og natten blir til dag
Vi venter på en Frelsermann
for alle folkeslag

and the oversettelse (translation) is as follows:

Now we light the first candle
It must stand alone
We wait for the little child
who laid in a manger

Now we light the second candle
Then we can see better
We wait for God, our Father
to give his Son down here

Now we light the third candle
It is a sacred number
We wait for our King
to be born in a stable

Now we light the fourth candle
and night turns into day
We wait for a Saviour
for all mankind

Vi har bare 4 dager igjen til jul (4 more days until Christmas)!