Page:A Danish and Dano-Norwegian grammar.djvu/59

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
NORWEGIAN SOUNDS.
45

Huskarlene the housecarles pr. l); and in skal shall, often pron. ska and til to often pron. te.

Note. After point r, l in the eastern part of Norway assumes a supradental character, being formed against the gums, and r is reduced to a gliding sound; Ex : Karl (name), farlig dangerous, Perle pearl.

115. In eastern Norway the Old Norse combination has developed into a peculiar sound of inverted r or l, being pronounced by inverting the tongue and raising the point up towards the hard palate and then bringing it forward with a smack. The inverted or “cacuminal” sound produced in this manner makes upon the foreigner the impression of being an r, while to the Norwegians it appears to be an l; it is called the thick l; Ex. : Svelvik (O. N. Sverðvik), name of a place. This sound is considered vulgar, but it is often used colloquially in Eastern Norway, even instead of common l; Ex.: Klasse class, Aal eel, Ola (name).

116. n like English n: nu now, Bön prayer, vœnne to accustom.

The sound of nn is written nd in a great many words (see § 109). Of words spelt with nn or n (if final) may be noted: Bönne bean, Bön prayer (plur. of both: Bönner, but Bönder peasants, with the same n-sound); en Finne a pimple, but at finde to find, at kunne to be able [but jeg kunde (nn) I could], Skin light, appearance (at skinne to shine), but Skind (nn) skin, Skinne rail, Vantro disbelief (but Vandfarve water color).

Note. When n is preceded by an r, then it in the eastern part of Norway assumes a supradental character, the r being reduced to a mere gliding sound. Other dental sounds are affected in the same way by a preceding r, and these combined sounds of r & following dental represent the same sounds that in the Sanskrit Grammar are called cerebral (murdhanja).

117. ng represent a single sound, the guttural nasal consonant, like English ng in singer; Ex. : synge to sing, tung heavy.