NORWAY-DENMARK: Hawkkun’s Norgah

Last week English-tuned ears heard strange-sounding names coming out of

their radios. Four languages were involved: Swedish, Danish, Norwego-Danish (Riksmaal) and New Norwegian

(Landsmaal), which is really Old Norwegian. Pronunciations of places and people in the news:

Aalborg Awl’-borg

Åndalsnes Awn’-dals-ness’

Bergen Bear’-gan

Boden Bo’-den

Bodö Bohd’-eh

Dombas Domb’-aws

Fossum Fuss’-um

Göteborg Yet’-teh-borg

Hälsingborg Hell’-sing-borg

Hamar Hah’-mar

Hell Hell

Jönköping Yun’-kiup-ing

Kirkenes Keer’-keh-ness

Kiruna Key-roo’-nah

Kongsberg Kongs’-bairg

Laerdal Lair’-dal

Läsö Leh’-seh

Luleä Loo’-leh-oh

Narvik Nar’-veek

Norrköping Nor’-kiup-ing

Oslo Aw’-slow

Östersund Es’-ter-soond

Raufoss Roh’-fuss

Sjaeland Shall’-land

Skagen Skahg’-en

Stavanger Stah-vang’-er

Steinkjer Stain’-kee-air

Stören Stir’-en

Tromsö Troms’-eh

Trondheim Trond’-hame

Umeå Oo’-meh-oh

Vätter Vet’-ter

Günther Gin’-ter (hard g)

Ture Nerman Tu’-reh Nair’-man

Haakon Hawk’-kun

Hambro Ham’-brough

Nygaardsvold Nee’-gourds-voll

Quisling Kviss’-ling

Sköld Skuld

Thörnell Tir’-nell

Tryggvason Trig’-vahs-son’

Wigforss Veeg’-jorce