Søndagsspørsmål #203 - Sunday Question Thread

[u/dwchandler]

This is a weekly post to ask any question that you may not have felt deserved its own post, or have been hesitating to ask for whatever reason. No question too small or silly!

Previous søndagsspørsmål

[u/krashmo]

Can anyone tell me how to properly pronounce "kj" in Norsk? I understand that it is supposed to be between a "ch" sound and a "sh" sound but when I hear it out loud I cannot distinguish it from a "sh" sound so it is very difficult for me to get the vocalization down. I feel like I have to be missing something. I have watched a few videos on the subject but I could not hear the difference. Perhaps hearing a description from a native speaker would help.

Also, if I just substitute a "sh" sound would I still be understood? Due to the similar sound I wonder how important it is to say it exactly right.

[u/tobiasvl → u/krashmo]

In IPA, it's [ç], the voiceless palatal fricative. Wikipedia says it's the same sound as in the British and Australian pronunciation of the word "hue", which I can understand (it's pretty different from the American English pronunciation, which is more like an actual "h" sound).

Also, if I just substitute a "sh" sound would I still be understood? Due to the similar sound I wonder how important it is to say it exactly right.

Yes, you'll be understood. There's an ongoing linguistic shift here; many younger Norwegians pronounce it as "sh" because the "kj" is a tricky sound. Purists and prescriptivists balk at it, but you'll be fine.

Like the aforementioned Wikipedia article says: "Often alveolo-palatal [ɕ] instead; younger speakers in Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo merge it with /ʂ/" (the alveolo-palatal being "sh" as in "ship").

[u/krashmo → u/tobiasvl]

That is very helpful. Thank you for the informative response!

[u/[deleted] → u/krashmo]

Another way to look at it is that younger norwegians say it wrong because they weren't taught right!!!!!!

shakes old fist