As mentioned in Tim's article from yesterday, my colleagues and I were chatting about language in the lunch break yesterday. Before we got onto the topic of language trees, and where the sami fit into the great scheme of things, we were discussing the subleties of the Norwegian language (which, as we know, is a very subtle language), inspired by a Norwegaian/Swedish/Danish multilanguage keyboard that happend to be lying on the table. The newest addition to our corridor, a French post.doc., asked about the extra Scandinavian letters, and we explained as best we could.

Naturally, we presented the opinion that the Norwegian language is convenient and easy to understand and other good things, while the Frenchman claimed that the French pronounciation is perfectly logical. To support my point, and to provide a bit of explanation, I helpfully wrote down



and then perhaps less helpfully



In the end, we didn't agree on anything much, except that none of us will watch the Eurosong thing, because that is for crazy people.

-Tor Nordam