Norwegian language

Norwegian (in its own language: norsk) is a Germanic language spoken mainly in Norway. It belongs to the subgroup of North Germanic languages and forms a Scandinavian language continuum with Danish and Swedish.

Two standard varieties of Norwegian are equally recognized in Norway:

• Bokmål ('book language') keeps heavy influences from Danish, which used to be the former, official language of Norway. This standard is majoritary in the whole of Norway.
• Nynorsk ('new Norwegian') is based on popular dialects and avoids Danish influences. This standard is preferred in southwestern Norway.