responsmål

Responsmål is a term used in Norwegian linguistics to describe a specific type of grammatical response. It refers to a concise and often abbreviated answer that directly addresses the core question asked, typically by echoing or confirming the essential element of the question. These responses are characterized by their economy of words and their ability to convey full meaning within a very limited structure.

The function of a responsmål is to provide a quick and efficient confirmation or negation, or to offer a simple piece of information directly related to the question. For instance, if someone asks "Er du trøtt?" (Are you tired?), a typical responsmål would be "Trøtt" (Tired) or "Nei, ikke trøtt" (No, not tired). This contrasts with a more complete sentence answer like "Ja, jeg er veldig trøtt" (Yes, I am very tired). The brevity allows for a smooth and rapid conversational flow.

Responsmål are particularly common in informal spoken Norwegian. They rely heavily on the context of the preceding question to be fully understood. The grammatical structure, or lack thereof, is what defines it as a responsmål. It's not simply a short answer, but an answer that is grammatically reduced to its essential components, often omitting the subject and verb if they are implicitly understood from the question. This linguistic feature contributes to the perceived directness and efficiency of Norwegian communication.