norskengelsk

Norskengelsk is a term used to describe English varieties associated with Norway and Norwegian speakers. It covers both English spoken by Norwegians learning English and forms of English used in Norway that reflect Norwegian language influence. In linguistic literature it is often discussed as an interlanguage and as a broad category of English that bears Norwegian phonological, lexical, and syntactic fingerprints without being fully native English.

Features commonly observed in norskengelsk include interference from Norwegian in pronunciation, such as pronunciation tendencies for sounds that are challenging for Norwegian speakers or stress patterns influenced by Norwegian prosody. Learners may replace English th sounds with t, d, or f, and may use intonation patterns influenced by Norwegian. In grammar and syntax, direct calques from Norwegian can appear, along with literal translations of Norwegian phrases into English, and occasional code-switching with Norwegian within the same utterance. In vocabulary, Norwegian loanwords and transliterations of Norwegian expressions can appear in English contexts, especially in informal speech or domain-specific jargon.

Usage and study: Norskengelsk is of interest to linguists studying second-language acquisition, interlanguage dynamics, and the ways English is used in non-native settings. It can appear in education, media dubbing and subtitles, and everyday conversation among Norwegians. The phenomenon is distinguished from native English varieties and from English spoken by Norwegians living abroad, and it is treated as a snapshot of how Norwegian language structures influence English usage in Norway.

See also: English as a second language; Norwegian language; Interlanguage; Calque; Code-switching.