Posts under "Politics"

Norwegian Sign Language

Posted by kari 1 Comment
May 28 2011

I learned the sign language alphabet when I was in grade school, but since then I have not invested more time in it.  I don´t actually know any deaf people, so I guess that´s my justification for not having learned it.  However, I have worked several jobs for which knowing sign language would have come in handy.  I have worked in restaurants, a bank, and a clothing and shoe store and had deaf customers at all of them.

While I believe knowing a foreign language gives one a slight advantage even in understanding a deaf person sign, I wish I would have made it easier for the customer.  Especially at a bank, it is very important to understand all details, so the customer always ended up writing down his or her requests.  Of course that works just fine, but I feel badly that people who were born without the ability to speak have to cater to the rest of us who have it.

When I looked into tegnspråk (sign language) in Norway, I found it interesting that Norway and Madagascar share the same movements. Tegnspråk has been in use in Norway since 1815 and just 10 years later, the first deaf school was established in Trondheim.  There are 2 major dialects and one minor dialect of NSL (Norwegian Sign Language) in Norway with differing alphabets.  Trondheim´s tegnspråk dialect is similar to ASL (American Sign Language) in that it is one-handed.  The other major dialect is from Oslo and it is a two-handed tegnspråk.  Most people use the Trondheim one-handed dialect, but the Oslo dialect is becoming more popular.  Just as speaking Norwegians can communicate quite easily with Danes (especially in writing) and Swedes, a Norwegian døv (deaf) person can understand døve Swedes and Danes quite well also.

There are approximately 12,000 døve in Norway.  Every year there is a big party where they gather for cultural events including plays, poetry readings, concerts, a dinner, and time to hang out and just chat.

A committee is working hard to make norsk tegnspråk an official språk of Norway.  Despite the fact that it is not yet an official språk, Norwegian society is quite progressive.  The law requires that signed interpretation be made available to college students, to the courts, and in the mental health industry.

Click here to see the norsk tegnspråk alfabet.

Click here to see nummere (numbers).

See here to see a woman sign hundreds of different words!

Ja Vi Elsker Dette Landet-Norwegian National Anthem

Posted by kari 2 Comments
May 19 2011

Gratulerer med dagen, Norge! Happy Birthday Norway! Tuesday was Norway´s 197th birthday-the first being May 17, 1814 when the Constitution was signed at Eidsvoll.   Syttende Mai (pronounced ´soot (like ´foot´)-ene-my´is the largest celebration in Norway all year long.  Families and friends gather to eat, drink, and show their patriotism for their country.  Of the year´s time that I have spent in Norway, 17. mai is certainly one of the most fond memories.

When I´m at home in Minnesota, I typically attend some sort of 17. mai event, such as frokost (breakfast) at my Alma Mater, St. Olaf, or perhap´s I´ll attend a Norwegian Department event.  Regardless of how I choose to celebrate, the national anthem is usually involved.  Those of you who are familiar with Norwegian culture probably have heard `Ja Vi Elsker´before.  One of ´De fire store´(The Four Great), Bjørnson is recognized in the same league as Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland.  Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson wrote the lyrics to ´Ja Vi Elsker´ between 1858 and 1869.  There are 8 modernized and translated verses as follows:

JA, VI ELSKER DETTE LANDET(Yes, we love this country)

1
Ja, vi elsker dette landet, Yes, we love this country
som det stiger frem, as it rises forth,
furet, værbitt over vannet, rugged, weathered, above the sea,
med de tusen hjem. with the thousands of homes.
Elsker, elsker det og tenker Love, love it and think
på vår far og mor of our father and mother
og den saganatt som senker and the saga night that sends
drømmer på vår jord. dreams to our earth.
og den saganatt som senker and the saga night that sends
senker drømmer på vår jord. sends dreams to our earth.
2
Dette landet Harald berget This country Harald united
med sin kjemperad, with his army of heroes,
dette landet Håkon verget this country Håkon protected
medens Øyvind kvad; whilst Øyvind sung;
Olav på det landet malte upon the country Olav painted
korset med sitt blod, with his blood the cross,
fra dets høye Sverre talte from its heights Sverre spoke
Roma midt imot. up against Rome.
3
Bønder sine økser brynte Farmers their axes sharpened
hvor en hær dro frem, wherever an army advanced,
Tordenskiold langs kysten lynte, Tordenskiold along the coastline thundered
så det lystes hjem. so that we could see it back home.
Kvinner selv stod opp og strede Even women stood up and fought
som de vare menn; as if they were men;
andre kunne bare grede, others could only cry
men det kom igjen! but that soon would end!
4
Visstnok var vi ikke mange, Sure, we were not many
men vi strakk dog til, but we were enough,
da vi prøvdes noen gange, when we were tested sometimes,
og det stod på spill; and it was at stake;
ti vi heller landet brente we would rather burn our land
enn det kom til fall; than to declare defeat;
husker bare hva som hendte just remember what happened
ned på Fredrikshald! down at Fredrikshald!
5
Hårde tider har vi døyet, Hard times we have coped with,
ble til sist forstøtt; were at last disowned;
men i verste nød blåøyet but in the worst distress, blue-eyed
frihet ble oss født. freedom was to us born.
Det gav faderkraft å bære It gave (us) father’s strength to carry
hungersnød og krig, famine and war,
det gav døden selv sin ære - it gave death itself its honour -
og det gav forlik. and it gave reconciliation.
6
Fienden sitt våpen kastet, The enemy threw away his weapon,
opp visiret for, up the visor went,
vi med undren mot ham hastet, we, in wonder, to him hastened,
ti han var vår bror. because he was our brother.
Drevne frem på stand av skammen Driven forth to a stand by shame
gikk vi søderpå; we went to the south;
nu vi står tre brødre sammen, now we three brothers stand united,
og skal sådan stå! and shall stand like that!
7
Norske mann i hus og hytte, Norseman in house and cabin,
takk din store Gud! thank your great God!
Landet ville han beskytte, The country he wanted to protect,
skjønt det mørkt så ut. although things looked dark.
Alt hva fedrene har kjempet, All the fights fathers have fought,
mødrene har grett, and the mothers have wept,
har den Herre stille lempet the Lord has quietly moved
så vi vant vår rett. so we won our rights.
8
Ja, vi elsker dette landet, Yes, we love this country
som det stiger frem, as it rises forth,
furet, værbitt over vannet, rugged, weathered, above the sea,
med de tusen hjem. with those thousand homes.
Og som fedres kamp har hevet And as the fathers’ struggle has raised
det av nød til seir, it from need to victory,
også vi, når det blir krevet, even we, when it is demanded,
for dets fred slår leir. for its peace will encamp (for defence).

 

Typically only the 1st and last two verses are sung.  This anthem is naturally quite historical in nature, but it is also very much political.  Bjørnson (1832-1910) grew up in a time of political unrest.  Norway had indeed operated under her own Constitution for decades, but was still not an independent country.  The Union with Sweden dissolved just 5 years prior to Bjørnson´s death.  He was a vivid spokesman for the Norwegian Left-Wing Movement.

Bjørnson focused a lot of his energy towards the revival of the Norwegian language that had become so influenced by Danish (from the hundreds of years of the Kalmar Union).  Bjørnson supported Ivar Aasen in his quest to research and collect the Norwegian dialects in his mission to create a bondemål (national language) from old Norwegian.

Interestingly enough, there was another verse in the National Anthem:

Kongen selv staar stærk og aapen
som vaar Grænsevagt
og hans allerbedste Vaapen
er vor Broderpagt.

In English this reads:

The King himself stands strong and open
As our border guard
and his most powerful weapon
is our brethren pact.
The verse was a tribute to the acceeded monarch Carl XV.  Bjørnson deleted this verse after the ideal of a Unified Scandinavia was shattered.
´Ja Vi Elsker´is sung proudly by Norwegians.  Did you know that the first 7 notes are the same as the traditional Christmas Carol ´Deck the Halls´?  Americans sing a little piece of ´Ja Vi Elsker every year:)

 

 

Norway Ranked Again the Best Place for Mothers

Posted by kari 1 Comment
May 10 2011

For the second year in a row, Redd Barna (Save the Children) ranked Norway the best place for women and children according to it´s health, economic and educational standards.  Afghanistan was ranked the worst.  It´s certainly no surprise that Norway ranks #1.  Educated nations typically have the highest health standards and Norway is no exception.  Norway is a healthy and wealthy country and the government takes very good care of the people, mothers in particular.

A high percentage of Norwegian women graduate from high school and proceed to secondary education.  Furthermore, never before have there been so many women in the workforce.  While Norwegian men participate to a higher degree in caring for their children, women still work fewer hours a week and spend more time with their children.

The government supports family time and the importance of mothers in their children´s lives in so many ways.  It starts with maternity leave-the most impressive in the world.  Norwegian mothers can take up to 12 months maternity leave with 80% pay or 10 months at full pay.  That´s amazing!  There are many mothers, particularly here in the U.S., that would not want to stay home that long with their babies.  American women are known to be much more career driven than many other countries.  However, I think it is so awesome that Norwegian women have this opportunity to stay at home and cherish the first year of their baby´s life.

As a result the value of education in Norway and government wealth, the mortality rate is extremely low (5%) and life expectancy very high (83 years of age for Norwegian women).  There are medical professionals at nearly every birth in Norway, while only 14% of birthing women in Afghanistan are accompanied by a doctor.  Women and children are very well taken care of.  Health standards are extremely high and the government covers medical costs.

Of course the mentality of the Norwegian people and what they value are definitely important factors in this #1 ranking of the best place for mothers.  However, this reality would not be possible without governmental wealth.  Nevertheless, when I´m ready to have a baby, it will be difficult not to hop on a plane and try to weasle my way in… ;)

 

Professional Boxing Illegal in Norway

Posted by kari No Comments
May 7 2011

Who new?  Norway is the only country in Europe in which there is a ban on professional boxing (North Korea and Cuba the only others in the world).  I was unaware of this until I recently read an article about Evander Holyfield´s surprise and subsequent decision to not visit Norway because he `plays by the rules.´ It is primarily the red-green coalition government that supports the ban, while the Progress Party, Conservative Party, and Christian Democratic Party oppose it.

Those who support the ban believe that boxing at a professional level poses significant medical risks.  Labor Party member Gunn Karin Gjul noted reports that state that between 2000 and 2006, 80% of the 65 boxing related deaths were professional boxers.  The risk at this tier of boxing is much greater primarily because the skill level of professionals surpasses that of amateurs and when the skill involves blows to the head, there is more risk for for injury and death.

The opponents of the ban argue that although the head is a major target for boxers, adult athletes who accept this risk should not be forbidden to participate in this sport.   Øyvind Håbrekke, a member of the Christian Democratic Party told VG (a Norwegian newspaper) that while “there is no doubt that there are health-related risks connected with professional boxing” and that it “has sides that we do not exactly want to encourage,” he does not believe that politicians “can forbid grown people from exposing themselves to risks that do not affect third parties.”  Board Member of the Norwegian Boxing Federation Frank Robert Walstad tells The Foreigner “you don’t get smarter by receiving repeated blows to the head”, but argues some other types of sports are more dangerous, such as scuba diving, mountain climbing, and motor sports.

Would you believe that the ban has been in place since 1981?!  A member of the Norwegian Olympic Committee approached the European Amateur Association chairman and demanded that professional boxing be banned or else amateur boxing would be discontinued as well.  A majority vote of 54-24 in the lower house of Parliament (Odelsting), Norway followed Sweden in the Nordic Council’s request in 1969 that the Nordic countries ban professional boxing.  At that time the reason was the same-that professional boxing lacked the same safety requirements that amateur boxing had.  The argument is the same today by the Red-Green Coalition.

The ban on professional boxing in Norway means that Norwegian professional boxers must travel abroad to fight.  Denmark is the closest country for Norwegians to visit and participate in fights.   No wonder there are only 8 professional boxers in Norway!

 

 

Norwegian Oil Company Statoil and new field in Brazil

Posted by kari 2 Comments
Apr 13 2011

Norway is the eighth largest producer of oil in the world and the 3rd largest exporter.  Most of the Norwegian oil is produced in the North Sea and Barents Sea off of the coasts of Norway.  Last week, in the Campos basin 85 kilometers off of the coast of Brazil, Statoil, Norway´s largest oil producer, began production at the Peregrino platform.  The Peregrino field was discovered in 1994, but it wasn´t until 9 years later, that Statoil acquired a share of the platform (50%).  The development plan for the field was approved by the Brazilian government in 2007, and Statoil acquired the remaining half of the field in 2008.  Pending government approval, a different company, Sinochem will purchase 40% of the field from Statoil and thus have 40% ownership and operational control.

This new development for Statoil in Brazil of course raises questions regarding Norway´s role in oil production and global warming, which I fully understand is a problem and welcome comment on.  However, it also does assist Brazil in it´s quest to develop into a more global competitor in the oil industry.  The new field will increase Brazil´s oil production by 5% in 12 months time and employ nearly 1,000 workers both onshore and off.  Peregrino will also be Norway´s largest oil field outside of Norwegian waters.

See here for an article from Tuesday from Aftenposten about the Peregrino Oil field.

Some Norwegian words to look for and their meaning:

olje-oil

felt-field

fat-barrel

økning i produksjon-increase in production

utbyggingsplanen-development plan

godkjent-approved

i løpet av-over the course of

 

 

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