# Norwegian: Slekt



## Bails23

Hello! I just have a little problem, I was trying to learn how to pronounce some words in Norwegian, but I cannot figure out the word "slekt" which I am pretty sure means "family" or "kinship".  If someone could help me out on the pronunciation, I would really appreciate it!
Thanks!


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## oskhen

One's "slekt" is strictly a term covering all one's relatives. I suppose that's a broader meaning than "family". "Å være i slekt" means "to be related".

As for the pronunciation, the "e" is (more or less) like the "e" in "bell". "sl" as that same letter combination in "sling". "k" as in the "c" in "cat". "t" as the "t" in "foot". It's as simple as that (I think).


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## Ben Jamin

oskhen said:


> One's "slekt" is strictly a term covering all one's relatives. I suppose that's a broader meaning than "family". "Å være i slekt" means "to be related".
> 
> As for the pronunciation, the "e" is (more or less) like the "e" in "bell". "sl" as that same letter combination in "sling". "k" as in the "c" in "cat". "t" as the "t" in "foot". It's as simple as that (I think).


Not quite so simple. The inhabitants ofOslo and surroundings, and the whole south-east region (that is more than 1,5 million people), except a small number of West Oslo upper class people, will pronounce it 'shlekt'.


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## oskhen

Ben Jamin said:


> Not quite so simple. The inhabitants ofOslo and surroundings, and the whole south-east region (that is more than 1,5 million people), except a small number of West Oslo upper class people, will pronounce it 'shlekt'.



I don't think I do. But it doesn't really matter very much. To a foreigner, the pronunciation I indicated should work just fine. Though, one may pronounce it the "sl" as "shl" if one so wish.


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## Ben Jamin

oskhen said:


> I don't think I do. But it doesn't really matter very much. To a foreigner, the pronunciation I indicated should work just fine. Though, one may pronounce it the "sl" as "shl" if one so wish.


 Det er klart, denne uttalen forekommer ikke i bergensk, eller ellers på Vestlandet, så vidt jeg vet. Men i Oslo kan du lett pådra deg en "vestkantsnobb"-etikett, dersom du ellers snakker østlandsk.


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## oskhen

Ben Jamin said:


> Det er klart, denne uttalen forekommer ikke i bergensk, eller ellers på Vestlandet, så vidt jeg vet. Men i Oslo kan du lett pådra deg en "vestkantsnobb"-etikett, dersom du ellers snakker østlandsk.



Jeg kommer fra Østfold. Men uansett skulle ikke den sh-lyden bety noe for utlendinger som skal lære norsk.


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## Ben Jamin

oskhen said:


> Jeg kommer fra Østfold. Men uansett skulle ikke den sh-lyden bety noe for utlendinger som skal lære norsk.


 De fleste utlendinger lærer norsk i Oslo (Ooshloo) og omegn, og blir raskt korrigert av sine østlandske lærere dersom de sier "slekt" og ikke "shlekt".  Og hvis de ikke gjør det, så blir de fortalt av andre folk at de høres snobbete.


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## oskhen

Ben Jamin said:


> De fleste utlendinger lærer norsk i Oslo (Ooshloo) og omegn, og blir raskt korrigert av sine østlandske lærere dersom de sier "slekt" og ikke "shlekt".  Og hvis de ikke gjør det, så blir de fortalt av andre folk at de høres snobbete.



Korrigert? Hæ? Det høres sært ut, men jeg skal ikke protestere.


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## Bails23

Hahaha I did not really understand the last part of the conversation but thanks for the help with the pronunciation!!


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## Ben Jamin

Bails23 said:


> Hahaha I did not really understand the last part of the conversation but thanks for the help with the pronunciation!!


 Sorry for not writing in English. The conversation can be summarized as:

Oskhen, himself a speaker of Bergen dialect, argues that "slekt" and "shlekt" are equally good. While Ben Jamin (situated in Oslo) argues that the pronounciation "slekt" which is typical for the western parts of Norway is regarded as snobbish "Oslo West-End" and that if one speaks the Oslo dialect and  pronounces "slekt", can be subject to ostracism and ridicule.


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## oskhen

Ben Jamin said:


> Sorry for not writing in English. The conversation can be summarized as:
> 
> Oskhen, himself a speaker of Bergen dialect, argues that "slekt" and "shlekt" are equally good. While Ben Jamin (situated in Oslo) argues that the pronounciation "slekt" which is typical for the western parts of Norway is regarded as snobbish "Oslo West-End" and that if one speaks the Oslo dialect and  pronounces "slekt", can be subject to ostracism and ridicule.



I speak Eastern Norwegian. But it doesn't really matter. I still mean the two pronunciations are equally good.


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## louisjanus

What I remember is that in areas of Norway with a lateral (i.e., light) /l/ the /sl/ combination is usually pronounced with a /sj/ sound (sj like the English she). However in areas with the dark l -- /l/ with a bar through it, the /s/ + /l/ combination uses both /s/ and /l/.

By the way, if the /s/ and /l/ are in separate syllables, there is is NO /sj/ sound. The controversy about the pronunciation of <oslo> is not only a class and regional dialect distinction, but whether one pronounces the first syllable /o:s/ and the second /lo:/ or the <l> as part of the first syllable /o:sj/ + /lo:/

If you read Norwegian, have a look at "Osjlo! En undersøkelse av uttalen av sl-sekvenser i NoTa-korpuset" 
http://www.duo.uio.no/publ/ILN/2008/90093/90093_kristoffersen_simonsen.pdf


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