Q 01/05

The Norwegian word 'gift' means 'married' and also which far less romantic thing?

A) Debt

B) Poison

C) Prison

D) Burden

Answer · why

B) Poison

Poison and marriage share one spelling in Norwegian, making 'gift' a classic false friend for English speakers. In German, the same word carries only ...

Q 02/05

Which number is meant by the Norwegian word 'fire', a notorious trap for English-speaking learners?

A) Four

B) Five

C) Seven

D) Nine

Answer · why

A) Four

Four is 'fire' in Norwegian, said in two syllables rather than like the English word for flames. It descends from Old Norse 'fjórir', a distant cousin...

Q 03/05

In Norwegian, the everyday word 'barn' has nothing to do with farm buildings; what does it mean?

A) Horse

B) Child

C) Farmer

D) Neighbour

Answer · why

B) Child

Child is the meaning of 'barn' in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish alike. Its close cousin 'bairn' is still used for a little one in Scotland and norther...

Q 04/05

Lørdag, the Norwegian word for Saturday, comes from an Old Norse name marking which weekly chore?

A) Baking

B) Brewing

C) Washing

D) Fishing

Answer · why

C) Washing

Washing gave Saturday its Nordic name, from Old Norse 'laugardagr', literally washing day. Unlike most weekday names, it honours no Norse or Roman god...

Q 05/05

English borrowed 'ski' from Norwegian; in Old Norse the word first described a piece of which material?

A) Split wood

B) Whale bone

C) Reindeer hide

D) Birch bark

Answer · why

A) Split wood

Split wood is the root sense: Old Norse 'skíð' meant a cleft stick before it meant the gear. Before 1920, English speakers often wrote the word as 'sk...