Bokmål

Bokmål is the predominant written form of the Norwegian language and one of the two official written standards in Norway, the other being Nynorsk. It is used by the vast majority of Norwegians in education, government, media, and daily life.

Origins and development: Bokmål developed from Danish in the centuries when Norway was in a political union with Denmark. After Norway’s independence movements, language reform aimed to create a distinctly Norwegian written language while retaining a link to its Danish heritage. Through the 20th century, spelling and terminology were standardized and revised in several reforms, with the goal of bringing written Norwegian closer to spoken Norwegian while preserving historical roots. In modern times, orthographic updates have further modernized the form without changing its fundamental character.

Forms and usage: Within Bokmål there are two commonly recognized strands: a conservative Riksmål lineage and a more modern Bokmål form. The Riksmål tradition preserves older spellings and vocabulary, while the contemporary Bokmål used in most public institutions and media reflects ongoing modernization. The differences are largely orthographic and stylistic rather than linguistic divides, and both are generally mutually intelligible.

Official status and adoption: In Norway, Bokmål and Nynorsk are both official written standards. Municipalities and counties designate an official language form for administration, and most areas use Bokmål, while others use Nynorsk or both depending on local population and tradition. In practice, Bokmål dominates education, government communication, and national media, making it the default written standard for most Norwegians.