What does NB mean in LANGUAGE CODES (2 LETTERS)

Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk are two official written standards of Norwegian. Bokmål is based on the urban, educated language of the capital, Oslo, while Nynorsk is based on the rural dialects of Norway. Both standards are used in government, education, and the media.

The existence of two written standards in Norwegian is due to historical and political factors. In the 19th century, there was a movement to create a new Norwegian language that was distinct from Danish, which had been the official language of Norway for centuries. This movement led to the creation of Nynorsk. However, there was also resistance to Nynorsk, and Bokmål emerged as a compromise between Nynorsk and Danish.

Bokmål is the more common written standard of Norwegian. It is used by about 85% of the population. Nynorsk is used by about 15% of the population.

Yes, it is possible to learn both Bokmål and Nynorsk. However, it is important to note that the two standards are not mutually intelligible. This means that speakers of one standard may not be able to understand speakers of the other standard.

The choice of which written standard of Norwegian to learn depends on your individual needs and goals. If you are planning to live or work in Norway, it is advisable to learn Bokmål, as it is the more common standard. If you are interested in studying Norwegian literature or history, you may want to learn Nynorsk.