Norwegian dialect classifications

Abstract

From the mid 19th century, there is a tradition of classifying the dialects spoken in Norway on the basis of linguistic features that show the different developments of Norwegian dialects in time and space after the Old Norse period. Most of these features are phonological or morpho-phonological. The most prevalent theoretical background has been historical-comparative linguistics. Eight different classifications are presented, starting with a division into three main dialect areas (Aasen 1848); scholars later proposed a division into two (Ross 1905, Larsen 1897, Kolsrud 1951, Skjekkeland 1997)), four (Christiansen 1954, Mæhlum & Røyneland 2012) and even twelve dialect areas (Sandøy 1985). Some of these classifications build upon each other, others take a more original approach incorporating insights from structuralism and sociolinguistics. The possibilities to renew the tradition of dialect classification by introducing other linguistic and extra linguistic factors, are discussed at the end of the article. Keywords: historical-comparative linguistics, classification based on isoglosses, structuralism, sociolinguistics, dialects, Norwegian