menneskelege

Menneskelege is a Norwegian adjective meaning human-like or humane. It derives from menneske, meaning human, and the suffix -lege, functioning similarly to the English "-like." The form is most often found in dialects or older Norwegian and is considered uncommon in formal modern Bokmål; the standard modern equivalent is menneskelig, meaning human or humane. In some contexts, writers also use phrases such as menneskelege eigenskapar (human-like traits) or menneskelege verdiar (humane values). In academic writing, the preferred term is typically menneskelig, while menneskelege may appear when quoting older texts or illustrating dialect variation.

Etymology and usage notes:

- The construction reflects a compound that attaches a descriptive suffix to menneske.

- Modern Norwegian generally favors menneskelig for abstract or normative usage.

- Menneskelege can appear in literary, historical, or dialectal contexts to convey a sense of traditional or regionally influenced language.

See also:

- Menneskelig

- Human

- Language variation in Norwegian dialects

This article provides a concise overview of the term’s meaning, origin, and typical usage, noting its limited role in contemporary formal Norwegian compared with more standard equivalents.