Editing Norwegian language (section)

==== Word order ====
Norwegian syntax is predominantly [[Subject–verb–object|SVO]]. The subject occupies the sentence-initial position, followed by the verb and then the object. Like many other Germanic languages, it follows the [[V2 word order|V2 rule]], which means that the finite verb is invariably the second element in a sentence. For example:

* <u>{{lang|nb|Jeg|italics=no}}</u> {{Lang|nb|'''spiser'''|italic=no}} {{lang|nb|fisk|italics=no}} {{lang|nb|i dag}} ('<u>I</u> '''eat''' fish ''today''<nowiki/>')
* <u>{{lang|nb|Jeg|italics=no}}</u> {{Lang|nb|'''vil'''|italic=no}} {{lang|nb|drikke kaffe|italics=no}} {{lang|nb|i dag}} ('<u>I</u> '''want''' to drink coffee ''today''<nowiki/>')

Exceptions to the [[V2 word order|rule]] are embedded clauses and question phrases.

===== Negation =====
Negation in Norwegian is expressed by the word {{lang|no|ikke}}, which literally means 'not' and is placed after the finite verb. Exceptions are embedded clauses.

* {{lang|nb|Hunden kom '''ikke''' tilbake med ballen.}} ('The dog did '''not''' return with the ball.')
* {{lang|nb|Det var hunden som '''ikke''' kom tilbake.}} ('It was the dog that did '''not''' return.')

Contractions with the negation, as is accepted in for example English (''cannot'', ''hadn't'', ''didn't'') are limited to dialects and colloquial speech. In this case contractions apply to the negation and the verb. Otherwise {{lang|no|ikke}} is applied in similar ways as the English ''not'' and general [[Affirmation and negation|negation]].

===== Adverbs =====

Adverbs follow the verb they modify. Depending on the type of adverb, the order in which they appear in the phrase is pre-determined. Manner adverbs for example, precede temporal adverbs. Switching the order of these adverbs would not render the phrase ungrammatical, but would make it sound awkward. Compare this to the English phrase "John probably already ate dinner." Switching the adverbs' position (''already'' and ''probably'') to "John already probably ate dinner" is not incorrect, but sounds unnatural. For more information, see [[Cartographic syntax]].

* {{lang|nb|Hun sang '''rørende''' '''vakkert'''.}} ('She sang touchingly beautiful.')
* {{lang|nb|Hun sang '''utrolig''' '''høyt'''.}} ('She sang unbelievably loud.')

The adverb may precede the verb when the focus of the sentence is shifted. If special attention should be directed on the temporal aspect of the sentence, the adverb can be fronted. Since the V2 rule requires the finite verb to syntactically occupy the second position in the clause, the verb consequently also moves in front of the subject.

* {{lang|nb|I dag}} {{lang|nb|'''vil'''|italics=no}} <u>{{lang|nb|jeg|italics=no}}</u> {{lang|nb|drikke kaffe|italics=no}}. ('''Today'', <u>I</u> '''want''' to drink coffee.')
* {{lang|nb|I dag}} {{lang|nb|'''spiser'''|italics=no}} <u>{{lang|nb|jeg|italics=no}}</u> {{lang|nb|fisk|italics=no}}. ('''Today'', <u>I</u> '''eat''' fish.')

Only one adverb may precede the verb, unless it belongs to a bigger constituent, in which case it does not modify the main verb in the phrase, but is part of the constituent.

* {{lang|nb|Hun spiste suppen|italics=no}} {{lang|nb|'''raskt i går'''}}. ('She ate the soup quickly yesterday.')
* {{lang|nb|'''I går'''}} {{lang|nb|spiste|italics=no}} {{lang|nb|hun}} {{lang|nb|suppen raskt|italics=no}}. ('Yesterday she ate the soup quickly.')
* <u>{{lang|nb|Laget som spilte '''best'''|italics=no}}</u>, {{lang|nb|hadde forlatt plassen.|italics=no}} ('The team that played the best had left the pitch.')

===== Adjectives =====
Attributive adjectives always precede the noun that they modify.

* {{lang|nb|De '''tre store tjukke tunge røde''' bøkene stod i hylla.}} ('The '''three big fat heavy red''' books stood on the shelf.')
* {{lang|nb|Den '''andre heldigvis lange tynne''' nøkkelen passet.}} ('The '''other fortunately long thin''' key fit'.)