Norwegian-English Dictionary: A Pronouncing and Translating Dictionary of Modern Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk) with a Historical and Grammatical Introduction [Paperback]

Einar Haugen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0299038742 | ISBN-13: 978-0299038748 | Publication Date: May 15, 1974

For more than forty years, the Haugen Norwegian–English Dictionary has been regarded as the foremost resource for both learners and professionals using English and Norwegian. With more than 60,000 entries, it is esteemed for its breadth, its copious grammatical detail, and its rich idiomatic examples. In his introduction, Einar Haugen, a revered scholar and teacher of Norwegian to English speakers, provides a concise overview of the history of the language, presents the pronunciation of contemporary Norwegian, and introduces basic grammatical structures, including the inflection of nouns and adjectives and the declension of verbs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Unsurpassed in its usefulness for both scholars and students.” —Louis Janus, President, Norwegian Researchers and Teachers Association of North America

About the Author

Einar Haugen (1906–1994) was the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Scandinavian and Linguistics at Harvard University and professor of Scandinavian studies and linguistics for many decades at the University of Wisconsin.

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press (May 15, 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299038742
• ISBN-13: 978-0299038748
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > More Languages > Norwegian
  • #2 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Norwegian
  • #3 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Scandinavian

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Norwegian -> English dictionary, February 21, 1999

By 

Louis Janus - See all my reviews

This review is from: Norwegian-English Dictionary: A Pronouncing and Translating Dictionary of Modern Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk) with a Historical and Grammatical Introduction (Paperback)

As a Scandinavian linguist and teacher of Norwegian, I highly recommend the Haugen Dictionary (known among Norwegian teachers and students as 'the green dictionary'). In this one compact volume, you'll find grammatical forms, both bokmål and nynorsk (and dialectal words), a summary of the history and morphology of Norwegian, idioms, pronunciation of almost all words, including vowel length and tonemes, usage examples from everyday speech as well as literary works, etc. etc. I've used the dictionary since I was in graduate school, and can't think of a time it failed to list a word I wanted to know.

As opposed to most other Scandinavian translating dictionaries, this one is aimed at Americans, rather than Scandinavians. Pronunciation guides are intended to help Americans. If you need to find Norwegian equivalents of English words, buy another dictionary. If you simply want the best for explaining Norwegian usage, this is the one to buy.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Norwegian-English Dictionary by Einar Haugen, February 25, 2001

By 

Julie A. Hall (Palo Alto, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Norwegian-English Dictionary: A Pronouncing and Translating Dictionary of Modern Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk) with a Historical and Grammatical Introduction (Paperback)

This book is for looking up the English meanings to Norwegian words. I'm in the process of helping someone translate a book he has written in Norway, and this book is PERFECT for the job. It contains both bokmål & nynorsk words, which is especially helpful to me because the book I'm trying to translate has both languages in it, too. There are many cross-references and examples of usage that are helpful in finding the best English equivalents of Norwegian words. There have been some words that the author I'm working with cannot translate into English, and I've found about 99% of those problem-words in this book. I don't really know very much Norwegian (yet!), and what knowledge I have is entirely self-taught. But this dictionary has made it possible for me to successfully do a good translation from Norwegian to English with a fair amount of ease, and to learn a LOT in the process! I would recommend it VERY highly! :-)

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Click now! Get this one if you are learning Norwegian!, June 15, 2000

By 

Brian W. Capeloto MD (Anaheim, California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Norwegian-English Dictionary: A Pronouncing and Translating Dictionary of Modern Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk) with a Historical and Grammatical Introduction (Paperback)

No question, absolutely the best dictionary I've seen for the English speaker learning Norwegian. The only Norwegian-English dictionary I know that indicates stress marks for each entry, notations for irregular noun and verb inflections, and also that includes Nynorsk entries along with Bokmål entries.

The lack of English to Norwegian is really not that important in that simpler bidirectional dictionaries or word lists will lead one to the target Norwegian word. It's how to USE that word that is important to language students -- Professor Haugen's dictionary does a great job in handling issues of stress and inflection.

I say again; absolutely invest in this dictionary!