Om normalisert norrønt

Abstract

This historiographical article discusses the development of “normalised Old Norse” and how this depended on the understanding of diachronic change and geographic variation within the West Nordic language area. The stable norm of grammars, dictionaries, text editions and introductory books is presented as the common language of Norway and the A tlantic islands during the Middle A ges, yet resembles most closely Icelandic c. 1200 CE. The standard orthography evolved through theory (historical linguistics) and practice (text editions) during the nineteenth century. The resulting norm depended on a historical preference for the oldest language of the “best” manuscripts, i.e. Icelandic ones from the early thirteenth century, albeit with due consideration of Modern Icelandic spelling. The ideological background was the general historicism of the nineteenth century, especially as expressed in historical and historicising linguistics.