How similar is Norwegian to English?

A: Yes, in linguistic terms, Norwegian is very similar to English. They are both Germanic languages and there are even extant shared isoglosses, i.e. in some dialects of Norwegian, linguistic phenomena in English are present, too. The two languages are not very mutually intelligible, though.

Why are Norwegian and English similar?

Norwegian and English both descended from the now-extinct Proto-Germanic language, so they have a common ancestor somewhere down the line. Likewise, French and Spanish are descended from the now-extinct Vulgar Latin, so they are basically sister languages to each other as well.

Is Norwegian easy for English speakers?

Norwegian Like Swedish and many other Scandinavian languages, Norwegian is one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers. Like Swedish and Dutch, its speakers are often proficient in English and it can be a hard language to actually be able to practice at times.

Is Norwegian similar to other Germanic languages?

While the two Germanic languages with the greatest numbers of speakers, English and German, have close similarities with Norwegian, neither is mutually intelligible with it. Norwegian is a descendant of Old Norse, the common language of the Germanic peoples living in Scandinavia during the Viking Age .

Do Norwegians speak English well?

Norwegians have an unbelievable command of the English language. Still, there are noticeable differences. My wife has absolutely no Norwegian accent and has to tell people here in the US that she is not a native English speaker and was born and raised in the Oslo area.

What is the most common language in Norway?

For this reason, Eastern Norwegian may be considered to be the unofficial “standard” of the language, simply because it’s spoken by the greatest number of people. As is common in language spoken in urban areas, speakers of Eastern Norwegian — and especially those residing in Oslo — are rumored to speak quite quickly.

Which Norwegian dialect is the easiest to learn?

As is common in language spoken in urban areas, speakers of Eastern Norwegian — and especially those residing in Oslo — are rumored to speak quite quickly. As Eastern Norwegian stays fairly true to the rules of Standard Norwegian, it’s the dialect most likely to be picked up by beginners.