Accents and Identity
Norway has a wide variety of accents and dialects. The gender of nouns, the pronunciation of words, even the way things are written is varied across the land. This is true across lots of Europe, but what I find different on Norway is the response to it.
Norwegians are encouraged to use their own accent nowadays. It’s seen as part of their identity and something which shouldn’t be hidden. There is still the stereotypical news presenter voice, but that is the only place you will see it. Even when a story is being presented from somewhere else they normally have a local speaking like they normally would. (And no they are not subtitled.) TV, radio and even films do have a variation in accents. I will say there is quite a southern / Oslo focused tendency but it’s not the only story told.
Comparing this to Germany where there is a variation but everyone will be able to switch to a standardised “high” German. Or the UK where I have still seen companies and organisations request certain accents, or the hiding of accents. Never mind the politicised attitude to dialects especially when it is associated with people who many would not consider establishment. The Norwegian attitude does make it harder for a non native to understand but I find it quite refreshing.
It doesn’t stop people teasing me for the way I speak. They claim I am impossible to understand. Then someone else will state that “ You can’t be Scottish”, because I don’t speak like what they think a Scot speaks like (usually braveheart or Rab C Nesbit here). I find it interesting that people very rarely have a stereotype of a Scottish women. The Scottish stereotype is always a kilted man, who is drunk, big and probably angry.
I’m quite conscious about my accent and have put a lot of effort into it both when I speak English and when I speak Norwegian. I am quite pleased that Norwegians often guess I am from Finnmark or other places in northern Norway when we first speak. But why am I pleased? Is it because I have worked hard at the language or because I can blend in? Or maybe I identify closer with Northern Norwegian culture and peoples stereotype/view of Northern Norwegians is more like the view point of the area of the UK I come from. I wish I knew what are people’s assumptions about me when they here me speak in Norway.
Norway is very proud of itself but this sometimes comes across as disliking / distrustful of outsiders. I have seen many job adverts requesting a native speaker (not native level fluency). I note my husband doesn’t get pointed out as an immigrant when these things get discussed, but I do. In general he does blend in more here, while I often look the odd one out. On the other hand he has never had someone claim he can’t be Scottish even though his accent clearly has other influences to any Scottish ear.
How accent and identity interact and how people change their accent for work/friends/family/telephone conversations has got me thinking. Do you feel different when you put on a different accent? I know I am less comfortable when I have to speak slowly and change the sound of my vowels while speaking English. Yet it doesn’t bother me while speaking Norwegian. Am I changing a part of my identity by changing my accent? Am I losing or gaining something. Currently I wonder if I will ever truly fit in to Norway and I can pick a non native speaker out a mile away by the Bokmal tendencies. So why do I change my accent when speaking Norwegian if as a country it tends to be quite accepting of accents? Is it to be understood? To hide? Or just to fit in?
