Typisk norsk = Typical Norwegian

I USA har vi stereotyper om hva er typisk amerikansk. I løpet av politisk kamp, nevner politikerne om folk som heter navn som "Joe" og Betty" som representer amerikaner. I Norge, aviser skriver om "Ola og Kari Normann."

In the US we have steriotypes about typical American things. During political races, politicians sometimes mention people with names like "Joe" and Betty" that represent the masses. In Norway, papers refer to typical Norwegians called "Ola and Kari Normann."

De beskriver at Ola og Kari er jordnære. Da folk fra andre land ferier, de treffer og gjør noen hyggelig sammen. Ola reiser på hytta og leser krime bøker, så langt vekk fra andre som er mulig. Han foretrekker rolige og stille fjell. (Men, jeg har jo møtet noen som er helt adgående og liker ikke å gå på ski.)

They describe Ola and Kari as realistic, practical and down to earth. When folks from other countries want to really enjoy themselves they meet up and do something fun together. Ola on the other hand, goes to his cottage in the woods and reads crime novels. He tries to get away, as far from other as possible, so he can enjoy the still mountains. (But, I must say that I have met some Norwegians who are very outgoing and who don't like skiing.)

Noen symboler er veldig norsk. Et radioprogrammet i NRK bedt lytterne å stemme på ord, mat, og andre ting som er norsk. De stemt brunosten G35 til det norskeste av de norske (i bildet). Og en andre undersøkelse fant de fem mest norsk ord:

Some symbols are thought of as being very Norwegian. A radio program on NRK asked listeners to vote on words, food and other things that are Norwegian. They chose brown cheese number G35 as the most Norwegian of Norwegian (see photo). Another research study concluded that the five most Norwegian words are as follows:

1. Dugnad (Community service. For example, all the residents in a apartment complex may have a day of work where they help fix up the building and grounds.)


2. Hæ (The sound a bird makes, in American English this would be "chirp")


3. Matpakke (A bagged lunch)


4. Jah, på innpust ( A way of agreeing with someone during a conversation, by breathing in suddenly while saying Ja, which means yes. When first arrived I thought a coworker was asthmatic because he kept on gasping jah, jah, jah when I was talking. Then I realized that others did the same thing!)


5. å kose seg, koselig (to make oneself comfortable, cozy, at home. Koselig means cozy. And å kose, is the verb meaning to make something cozy).