OLD NORWEGIAN Meaning and
Definition
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Old Norwegian refers to the language stage of Norwegian that was prominent from roughly the 11th to the 14th century. It is the earliest stage of the Norwegian language that is recognized as its own distinct form, preceding Middle Norwegian. Old Norwegian was primarily spoken and written in Norway during the medieval period.
In Old Norwegian, a variety of dialects existed across the country, each with its own distinct features. Among the most significant dialects were Nynorsk, Bokmål, and Høgnorsk. Old Norwegian was primarily influenced by Old Norse, the ancient Norse language of the Viking Age, along with influences from other Germanic languages such as Old English and Old Low Franconian.
Old Norwegian featured a complex inflectional system, including the use of genders, cases, and verb conjugations. It had a relatively large vocabulary, with a significant number of words derived from Old Norse. The grammar also consisted of various grammatical features, including demonstratives, pronouns, and adjectives, which were declined to match the gender and case of the noun they were modifying.
Despite the variations in dialects, Old Norwegian served as a literary language during this period, with a range of important texts and manuscripts composed in this form. However, as the Middle Norwegian period began, Old Norwegian gradually transitioned into a more modern form, ultimately leading to the development of New Norwegian, which is the basis of the modern Norwegian language we know today.
Etymology of OLD NORWEGIAN
The term "Old Norwegian" refers to the language spoken in Norway from approximately the year 800 to 1350. It evolved from Old West Norse, which was a dialect of Old Norse. The etymology of the word "Norwegian" itself can be traced back to the Old Norse term "norrœnn", meaning "northern" or "northern people". The word "old" is used to distinguish this earlier form of the Norwegian language from modern and Middle Norwegian.
