Norwegian into English translation

Norway is a very sparsely populated country, and the Norwegian language is spoken by little more than five million people. Despite this, you would be wrong to think that Norwegian is an unimportant or marginal language. Its speakers are highly active in a range of fields, and Norwegian is used to produce all kinds of different texts, from instruction manuals, public tenders and website content through to legal documents, social reports and television scripts. 

This means that Norwegian into English translation is in high demand and work in this language pair is being undertaken almost constantly. This allows partners on both sides of the language divide to interact and collaborate flawlessly, without misunderstandings or complications. Bridging the gap between these two languages is no easy task, however, and requires a skilled mother-tongue translator with a deep understanding of Norwegian language and culture.

Norwegian is often a rather misunderstood language. Many tend to think of it as little more than a dialect of Swedish or Danish, and its simple grammar and slow, lyrical rhythm can often give the impression that it is a relatively easy language to learn and translate. But Norwegian is actually very complex and loaded with subtleties that need to be understood.

For example, did you know that there are two main varieties of Norwegian, both separate languages in their own right? These two main types are called Bokmål and Nynorsk, and while they may be spoken in the same way, they are written and spelt differently. A speaker’s choice of variant can tell you a good deal about their background or who they are addressing, and may even entail subtle differences in meaning that can be easily lost in the process of Norwegian into English translation.

Norwegian is also the only Scandinavian language to have three genders, further distinguishing it from Swedish and Danish, which have only two. Not only that, but the third, feminine gender even occupies a somewhat strange position in the language as well. It has traditionally not been considered part of the official language and used mostly in dialectical speech. This means that when the feminine gender does seep into written texts, it can imbue them with an informal edge or casual tone.

Picking up on these subtle changes in register requires a deep understanding of the Norwegian language and can easily be missed by Swedes or Danes. Reflecting the third gender in translation, moreover, requires an excellent mastery of the English language and keen attention to even the smallest of details.

There are many other obstacles and challenges involved in Norwegian into English translation, from unique cultural concepts through to false friends and syntactical stumbling blocks. Getting it wrong can cause confusion or discord, so don’t take the risk – be sure to use a qualified mother-tongue translator for all your Norwegian into English translation needs.