Danish exonyms

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Bilingual town sign of Flensburg, Germany Flensburg-Flensborg.jpg
Bilingual town sign of Flensburg, Germany

Danish language exonyms for non-Danish speaking locations exist, primarily in Europe, but many of these are no longer commonly used, with a few notable exceptions. Rom (Rome), Lissabon (Lisboa (Lisbon)), Sankt Petersborg (St Petersburg) and Prag (Prague) are still compulsory, while e.g. Venedig is more common than Venezia (Venice). In the decades following World War II, there has been a strong tendency towards replacing Danish exonyms with the native equivalent used in the foreign country itself. Possibly this is because many of these Danish forms (e.g. for names in Belgium, Italy and Eastern Europe) were imported from German.

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Until recently, it was official Danish policy to use Danish exonyms on road signs if Danish forms were commonly used and known. This has, however, been changed following a change in international agreements. Currently, one can still see Danish road signs pointing towards Flensborg and Hamborg across the border, however Nibøl has been replaced by Niebüll. Signs leading to the Sound Bridge usually have Malmø with Danish spelling.

In Southern Schleswig, the region south of the Danish-German border, a set of original (or, in some cases, reconstructed) Danish placenames exists alongside the German names, just as most North Slesvig placenames have German counterparts dating from the period under Prussian rule (1864–1920). The Danish placenames in Southern Schleswig are used by the local Danish minority and their media, while some in Denmark may avoid using them for political reasons. The use of German placenames in North Slesvig is similarly preferred by the local German minority (when speaking and writing German), but traditionally shunned by many Danes in the region. From 2008, municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein have been allowed bilingual town signs with the official minority languages: Danish, North Frisian and Low German. So far, the city of Flensburg has been the only municipality to introduce bilingual German/Danish signs.

Danish placenames dating from the colonial era exist for almost all major settlements in Greenland. Some of the places in question were founded as settlements under a Danish name, while others were originally Greenlandic toponyms. Very frequently, the Danish and Greenlandic names have different etymologies; while the former are often named after settlers or explorers, the latter usually describe geographical features. In 1983, a Danish law officially transferred the naming authority to the Greenlandic Home Rule. During the years before and after that, a complete set of Greenlandic placenames have ousted the former traditional Danish names. Danish names in Greenland are now mostly known or used by older-generation Danish-speakers or by Danes living in Greenland. Until recently, Greenland was still – both officially and de facto – bilingual, but Greenlandic has assumed the status of sole official language in Greenland, following the island's recent change from hjemmestyre (home rule) to selvstyre (autonomy).

Faroese placenames were Danicised in an era when no Faroese orthography existed, but the Danish names were replaced by Faroese ones during the first half of the 20th century (somewhat later on maps). Today only Thorshavn is commonly used (alongside the Faroese Tórshavn and the hybrid Torshavn).

An example of radical use of Danish exonyms can be found in many street names on the island of Amager, a part of Copenhagen. The city expanded greatly during the first half of the 20th century. Dozens of streets in the district were named after European cities or regions. It was deemed suitable for practical reasons that street names were adapted to Danish spelling rules, resulting in names such as Nyrnberggade and Lyneborggade.

Albania

Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Tirana TiranaTiranë Albanian

Belgium

Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bruges Brügge, Brygge [1] Brugge Dutch
Brussels BrysselBruxelles French
Ostend OstendeOostende Dutch

Czechia

Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bohemia BøhmenČechy Czech
Moravia MæhrenMorava Czech
Prague PragPraha Czech
Plzeň PilsenPlzeň Czech
Silesia Schlesien, SlesienSlezsk Czech
Ślōnsk Silesian
Sudetenland SudeterlandetSudety Czech

Denmark

Faroe Islands

Modern Danish generally uses the original Faroese names. Torshavn / Thorshavn is still in active use. Fuglefjord, Klaksvig and Tværå are also occasionally seen. Also seen are variants where ð and á are replaced by d and å, and/ or accents omitted for á, í, ó, ú, ý. English generally has no established exonyms for any Faroese placenames.

Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands
English/ Faroese nameDanish nameNotes
Áirnar Åerne
Akrar Øgrum
Argir Arge
Árnafjørður Arnefjord
Borðoy Bordø
Bøur
Dalur Dal
Depil Deble
Eiði Ejde
Elduvík Eldevig
Eysturoy Østerø
Fámjin Famien
Froðba Frodebø
Fuglafjørður Fuglefjord
Fugloy Fuglø
Funningsfjørður Fundingsfjørd
Funningur Funding
Gásadalur Gåsedal
Gjógv Gjov
Glyvrar Glibre
Gøtueiði Gøteejde
Gøtugjógv Gøtegjov
Haldarsvík Haldersvig
Hattarvík Hattervig
Hellur Heller
Hósvík Thorsvig
Hov Hove
Hoyvík Højvig
Húsar Husum
Húsavík Husevig
Hvalba Hvalbø
Hvalvík Kvalvig
Hvannasund Kvannesund
Hvítanes Hvidenæs
Kalsoy Kalsø
Kirkja Kirke
Kirkjubøur Kirkebø
Klaksvík Klaksvig
Kollafjørður Kollefjord
Koltur Kolter
Kunoy Kunø
Kvívík Kvivig, Qvivig
Lambi Lamhauge
Langasandur Langesand
Leirvík Lervig
Leynar Lejnum
Lítla Dímun Lille Dimon
Ljósá Lyså
Miðvágur Midvåg
Mikladalur Mygledal
Morkranes Moskernæs
Múli Mule
Mykines Myggenæs
Nes Næs
Nólsoy Nolsø
Norðadalur Nordredal
Norðdepil Norddeble
Norðoyri Nordøre
Norðtoftir Nordtofte
Norðragøta Nodregøte
Norðskáli Nordskåle
Øravík Ørdevig
Oyndarfjørður Andefjørd
Oyrarbakki Ørebakke
Oyri Øre
Porkeri Porkere
Rituvík Ridevig
Runavík Rundevig
Saksun Saksen
Saltangará Salttangerå
Saltnes Saltnæs
Sandavágur Sandevåg
Sandoy Sandø
Sandur Sand
Selatrað Selletræ
Signabøur Signebø
Skálavík Skålevig
Skálabotnur Skålebotn
Skálafjørður Skålefjord
Skáli Skåle
Skælingur Skælling
Skarð Skår
Skarvanes Skarvenæs
Skipanes Skibenæs
Skopun Skopen
Skúvoy Skuø
Søldarfjørður Solmunderfjørd
Sørvágur Sørvåg
Strendur Strænder
Streymnes Strømnæs
Streymoy Strømø
Stóra Dímun Store Dimon
Stykkið Stikket
Suðuroy Syderø
Sumba Sumbø, Sunnbø
Svínoy Svinø
Syðradalur Sydredal
Syðrugøta Sydregøte
Tjørnuvík Tjørnevig
Toftir Tofte
Tórshavn Thorshavn
Trøllanes Troldanæs
Trongisvágur Trangisvåg
Tvøroyri Tværå
Vagoy Vågø
Vágur Våg
Velbastaður Velbestad
Vestmanna Vestmannahavn
Viðareiði Viderejde
Viðoy Viderø
Víkarbyrgi Vigerbirge

Greenland

English lacks exonyms for any Greenlandic placename.

Flag of Greenland.svg  Greenland
English/ Greenlandic nameDanish nameNotes
Aasiaat Egedesminde
Alluitsup Paa Sydprøven
Ammassivik Sletten
Appat RittenbenckAbandoned settlement
Ilimanaq Claushavn
Ilulissat Jacobshavn
Itterajivit Kap HopeAbandoned settlement
Ittoqqortoormiit Scorebysund
Kangeq Håbets ØAbandoned settlement
Kangerlussuaq Søndre Strømfjord
Kangerluarsoruseq FæringehavnAbandoned settlement
Kangersuatsiaq Prøven
Kangilinnguit Grønnedal
Kitsissuarsuit Hunde Ejlande
Kulusuk Kap Dan
Maniitsoq Sukkertoppen
Narsak Nordprøven
Narsarmijit Frederiksdal
Nuuk Godthåb
Nuussuaq Kraulshavn
Paamiut Frederikshåb
Qaanaaq Thule
Qaqortoq Julianehåb
Qasigiannguit Christianshåb
Qeqertaq Øen
Qeqertarsuaq Godhavn
Qeqertarsuatsiaat Fiskenæsset
Qeqertarsuup tunua Diskobugt
Saqqaq Solsiden
Sisimiut Holsteinsborg
Ullersuaq Kap Alexander
Uummannarsuaq Kap Farvel
Uunarteq Kap TobinAbandoned settlement

Estonia

Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Hiiumaa DagøHiiumaa Estonian
Saaremaa ØselSaaremaa Estonian
Tallinn RevalTallinn Estonian
Tartu DorpatTartu Estonian

Finland

Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Helsinki HelsingforsHelsinki Finnish
Tampere TammerforsTampere Finnish
Turku ÅboTurku Finnish

In general Swedish names are used for more well-known places. Less well-known places (to Danes, at any rate) will tend to retain their Finnish-language names (Lappeenranta instead of Villmanstrand, Iisalmi instead of Idensalmi).

France

Flag of France.svg  France
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Alsace ElsasAlsace French Obsolete
Brittany Bretagne, BretanjeBretagne French
Corsica Korsika, KorsikeCorsica Corsu
Normandy NormandietNormandie French
Picardy PikardietPicardie French
Strasbourg StrasborgStrasbourg French Obsolete

Germany

Danish has a very large number of exonyms for locations in modern Germany. Almost all of these are originally Danish names in the region of Southern Schleswig, a Danish territory until 1864 and still home to a Danish minority. Some of these exonyms are not commonly known in Denmark proper, but remain in use among the Danish minority in Germany and its newspaper, Flensborg Avis , and among the few remaining speakers of the South Jutlandic dialect south of the border. The names are also traditionally used by Danish historians, although some modern academics dismiss the usage of Danish exonyms outside present Denmark, at least in writing. Larger and well-known locations are more likely to be referred to by means of a Danish exonym, e.g. Flensborg and Slesvig [By], but also Hamborg which is not in the Schleswig region. The historical Dannevirke fortification and Hedeby are always referred to by its Danish name.

While almost all placenames in Schleswig north of the medieval language border (a line between Husum and Eckernförde, excluding the North Frisian area) are of genuine Danish (North Germanic) origin, there have also been limited attempts to construct Danish alternatives for placenames in the extreme southern part of Schleswig, which is originally German (Low Saxon) speaking (similar to the genuine Danish place names in North Slesvig, that have German constructed counterparts dating from the period under Prussian rule 1864–1920). The latter names, as well as Danicised placenames in the Frisian area, are less commonly used. Before 1864, when the Danish monarchy comprised the Duchy of Holstein, there was also sporadic usage of Danicised spellings of placenames in Holstein, such as Plø(e)n (Plön) and Vandsbæk (Wandsbek). The latter name is still seen in the Danish phrase "ad Vandsbæk til" (see: Wandsbek (quarter)#History ).

Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Anglia AngelAngeln
Arnis Arnæs
Ascheffel Askfelt
AschauAskov
BargumBjerrum
Bergenhusen Bjerringhus
BrockenBloksbjerg
Böklund Bøglund
Bredstedt Bredsted
Brunswick BrunsvigBraunschweig
Büdelsdorf Bydelstorp
Dagebüll Dagebøl
Danish Wahld Jernved, Dänischwohld, Danske SkovDänischer Wohld
Dannewerk Dannevirke
Dithmarschen Ditmarsken
Drelsdorf Trelstrup
Eckernförde Egernfjord, Egernførde, Ekernførde
Eggebek Eggebæk
Eider Ejderen
Eiderstedt Ejdersted
Elbe Elben
EschelsmarkEskilsmark
Fehmarn Femern
Flensburg Flensborg
FriedrichsbergFriedriksberg
Friedrichstadt Frederiksstad
FræzlætFræslet, Freslet,Fredslet
Föhr Før
FöhrdenFørden
Gettorf Gettorp
GottorfGottorp
Glücksburg Lyksborg, Glücksborg
Glückstadt LykstadRare
Grundhof Grumtoft
Hamburg Hamborg
Haithabu Hedeby
Handewitt Hanved
Harrislee Harreslev
HarzHarzen
Herzogtum Sachsen-Lauenburg Hertugdømmet Lauenborg
HesterbergHestebjerg
HollehittHoldhid
Holstein Holsten
HoltenauHoltenå
HüllerupHylderup
Hüttener Berge Hytten Bjerge
Idstedt Isted
Jarplund-Weding Jaruplund-Vedding
Jellenbek in SchwedeneckJellenbæk
Jerrishoe Jerrishøj
Joldelund Hjoldelund
Jübeck Jy(d)bæk
JürgensbyJørgensby
Kappeln Kappel
Karlsburg in SchwansenGereby
Klanxbüll Klangsbøl
Klixbüll Klægsbøl
Krusendorf in SchwedeneckKrusentorp
Kupfermühle Kobbermølle
Langballig Langballe
Lauenburg Lauenborg
LeckLæk
Lindewitt Lindved
LindauLindå
LoheLo
Lollfuß in SchleswigLolfod
Löwenstedt Lyngsted, Løvensted
Lübeck Lybæk
Ludwigsburg in SchwansenLudvigsborg, Kohøved
Lüneburg Lyneborg
LüngerauLyngvrå
Lürschauer HeideLyrskov Hede
LutzhöftLyshøj
Maasbüll Masbøl
MaaslebenMaslev, Måslev
Mecklenburg Meklenborg
Missunde Mysunde
Mohrkirch Mårkær
Mürwik Mørvig
Niebüll Nybøl ved Slesvig by
Oeversee Oversø
Oldenburg Oldenborg
Ostenfeld Østerfjolde, Øster Fjolde
Owschlag Okslev
Pellworm Pelvorm
Querfurt KvernfordObsolete
QuernKvæarn
Rendsburg Rendsborg, Rensborg, Rejnoldsborg
Rieseby Risby
RoikierRojkær
RundhofRundtoft
RüllschauRylskov
Schafflund Skovlund
Scheggerott Skæggerød
Schlei Slien
SchleimündeSlieminde
Schleswig Slesvig (By)
SchrepperieSkræpperi
Schuby Skovby
SchwansenSvans(ø), Svansen
Schwesing Svesing
SorgbrückSorgbro
Steinbergkirche Stenbjergkirke
StreichmühleStrygmølle
Struxdorf Strukstrup
Sylt Sild
Taarstedt Torsted
Treene Trene(n)
Treia Treja
Twedt Tved
Uelsby Ølsby
Ulsnis Ulsnæs
UnewattUndevad
UnaftenOndaften
Vollerwiek Follervig
Wallsbüll Valsbøl
WasserslebenSostiGerman name also used in Danish
WeesVes
Westerholz Vesterskov
WestermühlenVestermølle
WinderattVenerød
Wyk auf Föhr Vyk på Før

Greece

Flag of Greece.svg  Greece
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Athens AthenAthína Greek
Corfu KorfuKérkyra Greek
Corinth KorinthKórinth Greek
Crete KretaKriti Greek
Piraeus PiræusPiraifs Greek
Rhodes RhodosRodhos Greek

Iceland

Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Hafnarfjörður Havnefjord
Ísafjörður IsafjordUsed in various Danish street names, such as Isafjordsgade in Copenhagen and Isafjordvej in Roskilde

India

Flag of India.svg  India
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Nicobar Islands FrederiksøerneDanish colonial name
Serampore FrederiksnagoreDanish colonial name
Tharangambadi Trankebar, TranquebarDanish colonial name

Italy

Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Florence FlorensFirenze Italian
Genoa Genova, GenuaGenova Italian
Mantua Mantova, MantuaMantova Italian
Milan MailandMilano Italian
Naples NeapelNapoli Italian Mainly in expression Se Neapel og dø ("see Naples and die")
Rome RomRoma Italian
Sardinia SardinienSardegna Italian
Sicily SicilienSicilia Italian
Syracuse SyrakusSiracusa Italian
Torino Torino, TurinTorino Italian
Turin Piedmontese
Venice VenedigVenezia Italian
Venexia Venetian

Lithuania

Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Klaipėda MemelKlaipėda Lithuanian
Vilnius Vilna, VilniusVilnius Lithuanian

Luxembourg

Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Luxembourg City Luxembourg, Luxemburg, Luxemborg, LyksemborgLëtzebuerg Luxembourgish All forms pronounced like Luxemborg

Netherlands

Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Alkmaar AlkmarAlkmaar Dutch Obsolete
Edam Eidam, EjdamEdam Dutch Latter only common in name of Edam cheese, Ejdammer
Enkhuizen EnkhysenEnkhuizen Dutch Obsolete
Groningen GrøningenGroningen Dutch Obsolete
Monnickendam MønnikedamMonnickendam Dutch Obsolete
Muiden MydenMuiden Dutch Obsolete
Naarden NardenNaarden Dutch Obsolete
The Hague HaagDen Haag Dutch Pronounced /hæˀɣ/
Utrecht YtregtUtrecht Dutch Obsolete
Voorburg ForborgVoorburg Dutch Obsolete

Norway

From the 16th until the late 19th century, Danish was officially used, replacing the Norwegian written language, but then spelling reforms gradually replaced it with Dano-Norwegian and the two present-day forms of Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Until then, a lot of Norwegian placenames were written in Danish. Almost all of them are now obsolete and not even used in Danish historical contexts. They may, however, still be used in the names of Norwegian newspapers, companies, institutions and associations. In present-day Norway, they will often be perceived more as "ancient" names than as Danish ones.

Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bear Island BjørneøenBjørnøya Norwegian "Øya" means "island". Several more islands in Norway ending in øya might be translated to øen in Danish, although less common now.
Oslo ChristianiaOslo Norwegian archaic; official name of Oslo until 1925 (although spelled Kristiania from 1877 onwards). Today mostly associated with the Copenhagen free town by the same name.
Finnmark Finmark(en)Finnmark Norwegian archaic
Larvik Laurvig(en)Larvik Norwegian archaic
Trondheim TrondhjemTrondheim Norwegian occasionally seen in Danish, and very often used in spoken language even in Norway

Poland

Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Gdańsk DanzigGdańsk Polish
Łódź LodzŁódź Polish Endonym also used
Pomerania PommernPomorze Polish
Świnoujście Swinoujscie, Swinemünde, SvinemyndeŚwinoujście Polish Endonym also used
Szczecin StettinSzczecin Polish
Wrocław Wroclaw, BreslauWrocław Polish Endonym also used

Portugal

Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Lisbon LissabonLisboa Portuguese

Romania

Flag of Romania.svg  Romania
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bucharest BukarestBucurești Romanian
Transylvania Transsilvanien, TranssylvanienTransilvania Romanian

Russia

Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Ingria Ingermanland
Kaliningrad KönigsbergKaliningrad Russian
Karelia Karelen
Rybachiy Peninsula FiskerhalvøenPolyostrov Rybachiy Russian
Saint Petersburg Sankt PetersborgSankt-Peterburg Russian

South Africa

Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Cape Town KapstadenKaapstad Afrikaans
Cape Town English English name also used in Danish
iKapa Xhosa
Johannesburg JohannesborgJohannesburg English

Spain

Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Costa del Sol SolkystenCosta del Sol Spanish

Sweden

Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Älvsborg ElfsborgÄlvsborg Swedish Also pre-1906 Swedish spelling
Ängelholm EngelholmÄngelholm Swedish
Barsebäck BarsebækBarsebäck Swedish
Båstad BaadstedBåstad Swedish Archaic
Blekinge BlegingBlekinge Swedish Archaic
Brömsebäck BrømsebækBrömsebäck Swedish
Falkenberg FalkenbjergFalkenberg Swedish Archaic
Gotland GullandGotland Swedish Archaic
Göinge Gønge (Herred)Göinge Swedish
Gothenburg GøteborgGöteborg Swedish
Halmstad HalmstedHalmstad Swedish Archaic
Hässleholm HesselholmHässleholm Swedish Archaic. In Swedish until 1906 Hessleholm.
Höganäs Høj(e)næsHöganäs Swedish Archaic
Knäred KnærødKnäred Swedish Archaic
Kristianstad ChristiansstadKristianstad Swedish Earlier spelling Christianstad is sometimes used in the town itself, and was official until the Swedish spelling reform of 1906
Kristianopel ChristianopelKristianopel Swedish
Kungsbacka Kongsbak(ke)Kungsbacka Swedish Archaic
Landskrona LandskroneLandskrona Swedish Archaic
Limhamn LimhavnLimhamn Swedish
Malmö MalmøMalmö Swedish
Östergötland Øster GyllandÖstergötland Swedish Archaic
Simrishamn SimmershavnSimrishamn Swedish Archaic
Stockholm StokholmStockholm Swedish Archaic, never gained widespread use
Varberg VarbjergVarberg Swedish Archaic
Swedish
Västergötland Vester GyllandVästergötland Swedish Archaic
Ven HvenVen Swedish Danish form also preferred by islanders, outlived Swedish spelling reform of 1906 and was official until 1958
Ystad YstedYstad Swedish Archaic

Some of these forms are archaic, based on names used in the 17th century prior to the surrender of the Eastern Danish lands Skåne, Halland and Blekinge to Sweden. Modern usage is primarily confined to history books[ citation needed ] and Scanian activists. These forms were also used in a number of texts in the first decades of the 20th century. The only example consistently used in modern Danish is Hven[ citation needed ], maybe because this form hinders confusion with the Danish word ven ("friend")[ citation needed ]. Since the opening of the Øresund Bridge, the form Malmø has again gained widespread use above Malmö. [2] Engelholm and Øland (Öland) are occasionally seen. Knærød and Elfsborg are relatively common in historical works, due to their connection to historical events; the 1613 Peace of Knäred (Freden i Knærød) and the Ransom of Älvsborg (Elfsborgs løsen). The forms Gønge and Gønge Herred are also quite common given their connection to Svend Poulsen Gønge, known from the historical novel and TV series, Gøngehøvdingen .

Some forms are just replacement of ä/ö with æ/ø based on computer keyboards used by the press. This can be used for further places, any with ä and ö, .e.g. Växjö or Östersund, [3] but are often considered misspellings. This is in contrast to Swedish exonyms for places in Denmark where æ and ø are usually converted by the press.

United States

Flag of the United States.svg  United States
English nameDanish nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
California Californien, KalifornienCalifornia English
New York Ny JorkNew York English Obsolete
Pennsylvania PennsylvanienPennsylvania English
Saint Croix Sankt CroixSaint Croix English Pronounced /saŋd krɔjˀs/ in Danish
Saint John Sankt JanSaint John English
Saint Thomas Sankt ThomasSaint Thomas English

The U.S. Virgin Islands were formerly a colony of Denmark, often referred to simply as Sankt Thomas, Sankt Jan og Sankt Croix.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish language</span> North Germanic language

Danish is a North Germanic language from the Indo-European language family spoken by about six million people, principally in and around Denmark. Communities of Danish speakers are also found in Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the northern German region of Southern Schleswig, where it has minority language status. Minor Danish-speaking communities are also found in Norway, Sweden, the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.

Faroese is a North Germanic language spoken as a first language by about 69,000 Faroe Islanders, of which 21,000 reside mainly in Denmark and elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tórshavn</span> Capital of the Faroe Islands

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Schleswig</span> Southern half of the former Duchy of Schleswig in Germany

Southern Schleswig is the southern half of the former Duchy of Schleswig in Germany on the Jutland Peninsula. The geographical area today covers the large area between the Eider river in the south and the Flensburg Fjord in the north, where it borders Denmark. Northern Schleswig, congruent with the former South Jutland County, forms the southernmost part of Denmark. The area belonged to the Crown of Denmark until Prussia and Austria declared war on Denmark in 1864. Denmark wanted to give away the German-speaking Holsten and set the new border at the small river Ejderen. Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck concluded that this justified a war, and even proclaimed it a "holy war". He also turned to the Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph I of Austria for help. A similar war in 1848 had gone poorly for the Prussians. With Prussia's modern weapons and the help from both the Austrians and General Moltke, the Danish army was destroyed or forced to make a disorderly retreat. The Prussian-Danish border was then moved from the Elbe up in Jutland to the Kongeåen creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchy of Schleswig</span> A Danish Duchy from 1058 to 1864

The Duchy of Schleswig was a duchy in Southern Jutland covering the area between about 60 km north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany. The region is also called Sleswick in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Germanic languages</span> Languages of the Nordic countries

The North Germanic languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages—a sub-family of the Indo-European languages—along with the West Germanic languages and the extinct East Germanic languages. The language group is also referred to as the Nordic languages, a direct translation of the most common term used among Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish scholars and people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Å</span> Letter A with overring

The letter Å represents various sounds in several languages. It is a separate letter in Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, North Frisian, Low Saxon, Transylvanian Saxon, Walloon, Chamorro, Lule Sami, Pite Sami, Skolt Sami, Southern Sami, Ume Sami, Pamirian languages, and Greenlandic alphabets. Additionally, it is part of the alphabets used for some Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian dialects of German.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish minority of Southern Schleswig</span> Ethnic Danish community in northern Germany

The Danish ethnic minority in Southern Schleswig, Germany, has existed by this name since 1920, when the Schleswig Plebiscite split German-ruled Schleswig into two parts: Northern Schleswig with a Danish majority and a German minority was united with Denmark, while Southern Schleswig remained a part of Germany and had a German majority and Danish and Frisian minority populations. Their historic roots go back to the beginning of Danish settlement after the emigration of the Angles. One of the most common names they use to describe themselves is danske sydslesvigere.

Placenames in the German language area can be classified by the language from which they originate, and by era.

South Jutlandic or South Jutish is a dialect of the Danish language. South Jutlandic is spoken in Southern Jutland on both sides of the border between Denmark and Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faroese literature</span>

Faroese literature, in the traditional sense of the word, has only really developed in the past two hundred years. This is mainly because of the islands' isolation, and also because the Faroese language was not written down in a standardised format until 1890. Until then the Danish language was encouraged at the expense of Faroese. Nevertheless, the Faroese language soon became a vehicle for literature in its own right and has produced writers in several genres.

The Faroese language conflict is a phase in the history of the Faroe Islands in the first half of the 20th century. It was a political and cultural argument between advocates of Faroese and Danish to serve as the official language of the Faroe Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish Realm</span> Kingdom of Denmark and its autonomous territories

The Danish Realm, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply Denmark, is a sovereign state and refers to the area over which the monarch of Denmark is head of state. It consists of metropolitan Denmark—the kingdom's territory in continental Europe and sometimes called "Denmark proper" —and the realm's two autonomous regions: the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. The relationship between the three parts of the Kingdom is also known as The unity of the Realm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faroe Islands</span> Autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark in the North Atlantic Ocean

The Faroe or Faeroe Islands, or simply the Faroes, are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. The official language of the country is Faroese, which is closely related to and partially mutually intelligible with Icelandic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustine (given name)</span> Given name

Augustine is a masculine given name derived from the Latin word augere, meaning "to increase." The Latin form Augustinus is developed from Augustus which means "venerable" and was a title given to Roman emperors. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a significant early Christian theologian and Doctor of the Church and his prominence in Catholic and Protestant theology contributed to the given name's spread across Europe and into further continents through evangelism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DGF Flensborg</span> German football club

The DGF Flensborg is a German association football club from the city of Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denmark–Norway</span> Political union (1524–1814)

Denmark–Norway is a term for the 16th-to-19th-century multi-national and multi-lingual real union consisting of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway, the Duchy of Schleswig, and the Duchy of Holstein. The state also claimed sovereignty over three historical peoples: Frisians, Gutes and Wends. Denmark–Norway had several colonies, namely the Danish Gold Coast, the Nicobar Islands, Serampore, Tharangambadi, and the Danish West Indies. The union was also known as the Dano-Norwegian Realm, Twin Realms (Tvillingerigerne) or the Oldenburg Monarchy (Oldenburg-monarkiet).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Arctic Command</span> Military unit

The Joint Arctic Command is a direct Level II authority in the Danish Defence. Joint Arctic Command's primary mission in peacetime is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The command also handles tasks such as fisheries inspection, search and rescue (SAR), patient transport and other tasks that support the civil society. In short, the Joint Arctic Command handles military tasks, coast guard duties and disaster response - all in one organisation.

The Danish language is the official language in Denmark. In the Faroe Islands, the Faroese language and the Danish language are the official languages, and both must be taught in schools. Danish should be used in court, but Faroese can be used in all other official places. The Greenlandic language is the official language in Greenland, and Greenland's Home Rule Act of 2009 does not require Danish to be taught or the use of Danish for official purposes. In accordance with Denmark's official monolingualism, all official documents and communications are in Danish.

References

  1. "Brugge (Eller Brygge)". 8 December 2016.
  2. Example: Google Streetview. Do a Google search on News, where Malmø site:.dk have many more hits than Malmö site:.dk
  3. Examples: Perfekt norsk VM-start: Vinder guld i skiskydningsstafet and Tysk triumf på den individuelle distance ved VM i skiskydning