What is the difference between nynorsk and bokmål, and why is it Aust-Agder, but Østfold?

sudf	Nyorsk is literally "new Norwegian" and bokmal is literally "book language." Bokmal is more commonly urban, nyorsk rural. More on this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_language Aust-Agder and Østfold are two different counties. Apr 18 08, 6:30 AM

author

Nynorsk (lit. "New Norwegian") is one of the two official Norwegian standard languages, the other being Bokmål. Just above 10% of the Norwegian population use Nynorsk as their primary written language. In Norwegian nynorsk also covers the modern Norwegian dialects, upon which the standard language is based. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the 1800s to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language (upon which Bokmål is based) which was commonly written in Norway at the time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nynorsk Bokmål (lit. "book language") or Dano-Norwegian is the most commonly used of the two official Norwegian standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by around 85% of the population in writing, regardless of dialect, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of Norwegian language. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokm%C3%A5l Now, the more complex one: Why Aust-Agder, but Østfold? Aust = East in Nynorsk, Øst is East in Bokmål. Aust-Agder is not one of the four counties of Norway which currently have Nynorsk as its official, administrative language at county level. These are Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland and Rogaland, all situated on the West Coast. Aust-Agder is situated in the South, and this county was the first (in 1890) along with Møre og Romsdal and Sogn og Fjordane to have schools with Nynorsk as the main language. Apr 21 08, 7:34 PM

author

I have to add some more information, although the reference is in Norwegian: In 1885 the Norwegian Storting (parliament) decided that the two languages of Norway should both be equal, official languages of Norway. A parliament committee in 1905 discussed new names for the Norwegian counties, and many politicians thought that the names should sound more "Nynorsk" than the previous, often "Danish" sounding ones. In the case of Aust-Agder, the "Nynorsk" sounding name was the winner. (Øst-Agder was another alternative). In the case of Østfold, the "Bokmål" (or "Danish") sounding one was the winner, while the other alternative, Austfold, was the loser. Hence Nedenes Amt was renamed Aust-Agder Fylke (county) in 1918, while Smaalenenes Amt was renamed Østfold Fylke. http://språkrådet.no/Trykksaker/Spraaknytt/Spraaknytt_1-2_2005/Amt/ Apr 21 08, 7:58 PM